Creek Valley football team manager dies from fall at grain elevator

CHAPPELL - The Deuel County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a 13-year-old boy at Frenchman Valley Coop in Chappell. 

Sheriff Scott DeCoste says Casey "CJ" Fox climbed a grain elevator and fell off it. Sheriff's deputies and the Chappell Volunteer Ambulance found Fox unconscious and unresponsive when they responded at approximately 7:07 a.m. Sunday. He later died from his injuries. 

Fox was not an employee at Frenchman Valley Coop. 

Memorial services for Fox will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 5 at the Creek Valley High School Football Field. He served as a team manager for the Storm football team, and was a member of the junior high football, basketball and track teams. 

The incident remains under investigation.

Creek Valley Head Football Coach Joe Kupper says Fox had a huge heart, showed kindness to everyone and was always willing to help out.

"He was really coming on as an eighth grade leader in our junior high program," Kupper said. "Really coming on as a student manager, learning a lot from our seniors and upper classman about leadership and the right way to do things. It was just a tragic blow to the whole football team, to the school and to the community. We miss the kid a lot."

The Storm will hold a moment of silence before their opener with Hay Springs on Friday at 7 p.m. They also plan to display his football jersey on the bench throughout the season. The football team presented a signed helmet to the Fox family.