Parents of football player who died speak out after charges filed against ex-coach

When Nicole Dickey recovered retired that erstwhile Bucknell spot and conditioning manager Mark Kulbis was facing criminal charges successful the decease of her lad Calvin "C.J." Dickey Jr. aft a 2024 shot practice, she told "CBS Mornings" she appreciated the determination to record charges aft truthful overmuch clip had passed.

"We've been surviving successful this abstraction for months and months now, truthful what I felt was conscionable appreciation," she said.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Monday that his bureau is charging Kulbis with felony aggravated hazing arsenic good arsenic misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing. Prosecutors accidental the manager subjected Dickey Jr. to utmost workouts contempt knowing that the freshman carried sickle-cell trait, making him much susceptible to the interaction of strenuous carnal activity.

The NCAA requires each caller athletes to beryllium screened for sickle-cell trait. Its sports medicine handbook says exercising with the information is mostly harmless erstwhile due precautions are taken, similar cool-down periods and a slower workout pace.

"The facts amusement this suspect received accusation astir C.J.'s wellness condition, on with grooming astir NCAA anti-hazing standards, and disregarded that information," Sunday said successful a statement. "This is an bonzer tragedy, worsened by the information that C.J.'s decease was preventable."

The workout that led to Dickey Jr.'s decease allegedly included 100 "up-downs," and Kulbis allegedly lone called for assistance aft Dickey Jr. passed retired contempt visibly struggling during the drills. He died successful a infirmary 2 days later.

"We thought, spell to the hospital, they, you know, spot him up, successful a mates days, he'd beryllium out, and we just, you know, support moving connected — nope," his begetter Calvin Dickey Sr. said.

Kulbis near Bucknell astir six months aft Dickey Jr. died. Kulbis' lawyer maintains that the manager is not liable for the athlete's death.

But his parents anticipation that thing other tin travel from their loss.

They started the C.J. Dickey Foundation, which focuses connected sickle-cell trait consciousness and education. The Dickey household besides filed a abstracted civilian suit against Bucknell past April.

"This is an accidental for acquisition and awareness," Nicole Dickey said. "It's besides an accidental for programs to self-reflect."

"This is not the clip for silence," she continued. "I bash not privation to spot different C.J."

In:

• Sickle Cell Disease
• NCAA