Counseling Set in Death of Boy, 10

Grief counselors will be at and schools Monday morning to support children mourning a 10-year-old boy who died Saturday at a Boy Scout camp in Rhode Island. 

The boy was scheduled to start sixth grade at Woodhull in the fall, several residents said. Parents who need advice on how to talk to their children about the matter are also welcome. Counselors wil be available starting at 9 a.m.

The school district said that many of the boy's classmates are participating in  the Project Play summer program at Abrams.

He was spending the week at Camp Yawgoog with Troop 78 of Huntington when he apparently died in his sleep.  Foul play was not suspected.

His death has touched people from around Huntington and the Scouting community on Long Island and from other states.

Several Huntington parents involved in Scouting have been posting the Boy Scout logo in place of their Facebook profile photos as a sign of mourning.

One parent said the boy’s troop and leaders had written their troop number, 78, on their arms before leaving the camp Saturday, a day before their scheduled departure.   

Readers and representatives of Boy Scout troops in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Long Island came to Huntington Patch to express their condolences.

A reader from Rhode Island wrote, “I spent the whole hour in mass last nite praying for him and his family and the other scouts who were in his troop. Only God knows why this happened and i hope his family and friends can find strength in their faith.”

A Kings Park troop representative wrote, “Troop 75 in Kings Park would like to send our sincere condolences to the family and friends. You will be in our prayers.”

And a reader from Uxbridge, Mass., wrote, “Troop 1122 Uxbridge MA sends our deepest sympathy to the family and members of Troop 78. You are in our thoughts and prayers.”

Kate commented on Patch, “A parents worse nightmare. My heart is broken for that family. I can not imagine getting that call. May god bless them w/ the strength to carry on.”