NJ Boy, 11, From Piscataway Dies After Smelling Cooked Fish: Cops

An 11-year-old New Jersey boy died afer what authorities say was a reaction to the smell of fish cooking, according to police.

Cameron Jean-Pierre of Piscataway was found unconscious and unresponsive around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday on East 82nd Street in Brooklyn, according to police.

Police said the child likely had some type of allergic reaction to the seafood as the family prepared dinner.

Emergency responders rushed the boy to Brookdale Hospital but doctors were unable to save his life, said police. The Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death and investigation is ongoing, according to police.

Jean-Pierre was a sixth-grader at Theodore Schor Middle School, according to the Piscataway School District. Teresa M. Rafferty, superintendent of Piscataway Schools, released a statement to Patch:

“Our entire school community is deeply saddened by the loss of Cameron and we express our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends,” said Rafferty. “He was a good student and a positive and happy presence in the classroom.

"Our crisis management procedures and counselors are in place to help our students through this tragedy. We will continue to offer our support to the family in whatever way we can.”

The boy's mother, Jody Pottingr, told ABC News that Jean-Pierre was asthmatic and kept a nebulizer with him at all times. She said the boy went to her mother's house to to wish her a happy New Year, and also visited with his dad's mom and the aunt, who were cooking what they call in the Caribbean household salt fish.

"They thought that he left, because when his dad left, they thought he left with his dad," Pottingr said in an ABC News interview. "I guess they forgot something at the house and went back, and he went in the house and then he inhaled the fish. When he inhaled the fish, I guess that triggered off an asthma attack, and he couldn't breathe. His lungs tightened up, and his dad attempted to give him the nebulizer machine."

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