Tuesday September 23, 2025
Mourners gathered at North Star Cemetery in St. Cloud on Monday for the funeral of Abdinasir Maow Gedi, 7, who died after a medical incident at his elementary school last week.Mohamed Farah for Sahan Journal
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn (HOL) — A Somali family in Minnesota is demanding answers after a 7-year-old autistic boy died following a medical emergency at his St. Cloud elementary school last week, raising questions about the school’s response and communication with the family.
Police said officers were called to Westwood Elementary on Sept. 16 after second-grader Abdinasir Maow Gedi was reported to be having a seizure. When officers arrived, he was unconscious and not breathing. First responders performed CPR before transferring him to CentraCare-St. Cloud Hospital. He was later airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he was placed on life support. He died on Sept. 20.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed an autopsy was conducted but said results could take weeks. St. Cloud Police said investigators do not suspect foul play but will keep the case open until the autopsy is complete.
Family members said Abdinasir was healthy when he left home for school that morning. His uncle, Hassan Gurhan, said police, not school staff, first informed the family of his critical condition. Abdinasir’s father, Maow Gedi, said the school’s special education director contacted them the day after the incident, but they have not heard from other officials.
Nearly 400 people attended Abdinasir’s funeral on Sept. 22 at North Star Cemetery in St. Cloud. His uncle told mourners he was heartbroken to be burying the boy before knowing what caused his death.
Community leaders also voiced concern. “If the cause of this tragedy is not transparently shared with the family, we are fearful for the future of our children,” said Imam Abdinour Reshid of the Iqra Education Center. Imam Mohamed Nuh Dahir of the Islamic Center of St. Cloud added, “All we know is that Abdinasir died, but other than that, we don’t know.”
St. Cloud Area Schools issued a statement saying it was “deeply saddened” by the student’s death and had conducted an internal review of its response. The district said it is cooperating with police but declined to provide details, citing privacy laws.
Abdinasir’s death comes after several high-profile incidents in Minnesota that exposed the heightened risks autistic children face around medical and safety emergencies.
In October 2024, Mohamed Mohamed, an 11-year-old Somali boy with autism,
drowned in an Eden Prairie pond after wandering from home. That same summer, 4-year-old Waeys Ali Mohamed drowned in Minnehaha Creek in Hopkins. Both were nonverbal and on the
autism spectrum.The Gedi family has hired attorney Racey Rodne, who said they are in contact with both the school and police but would not comment further.