‘Fun-loving’ boy, 8, ‘with no underlying health problems’ dies days after testing positive for Covid

A ‘fun-loving’ primary school pupil with no underlying health conditions died just days after testing positive for Covid.

Jasper Bryan Cook, eight, came home from school feeling unwell on January 17 and his condition rapidly deteriorated.

He was rushed to hospital four days later when he began experiencing breathing difficulties but passed away just hours after arriving.

The youngster, from Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire, was described as fit and healthy by his devastated parents.

There were ‘no warning signs’ that Jasper would become so ill, according to his mother Kim who said his death has left a ‘gaping hole’ in her and husband Ian’s lives.

They hope a coroner’s report will highlight his exact cause of death and provide them with some closure.

Jasper Bryan Cook, eight, from Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire, died just days after testing positive for Covid

Jasper came home from school feeling ill on January 17 and his condition rapidly deteriorated. He’s pictured with mother Kim, father Ian and his sister

He was rushed to hospital four days later when he began experiencing breathing difficulties but passed away just hours after arriving.=

Ms Cook, 39, said: ‘There were literally no warning signs. There were no signs this could happen, or was going to happen, or was expected or anything.

‘It’s taken the legs out from under us.’

Jasper came home from school on January 17 feeling unwell and tested positive for Covid the next day.

Ms Cook said he was ‘a little sick’ in the days that followed but not unwell enough to need to see a doctor.

But on January 21, she contacted the emergency services when Jasper’s condition suddenly took a turn for the worse and he was unable to breath.

He was rushed to Bradford Royal Infirmary, but passed away later that day.

Ms Cook said of her son: ‘He was funny, cheeky, all he wanted was cuddles. He loved snuggles. He was a Lego fanatic.

The youngster was described as fit and healthy by his devastated parents and had no underlying health conditions

There were ‘no warning signs’ that Jasper would become so ill, according to his mother Kim who said his death has left a ‘gaping hole’ in her and husband Ian’s lives

‘He was a big supporter of Formula 1 and Lewis Hamilton, we spent lots of time snuggled on the sofa watching F1 and also Watford FC due to grandpa being a life-long supporter.’

‘Everybody said his smile lit up the room. He was gorgeous. It’s devastating. We would not wish this on our worst enemy, on anybody, it’s like a living nightmare.

‘It should not happen to an eight-year-old.’

Jasper’s father Ian, 40, said: ‘It took a long time to accept that it had happened, and he was not coming home.

‘There’s a huge Jasper-shaped hole, it’s never going to be filled.

‘Words just can’t really express the loss that we are feeling.’

His school plans to develop a well-being garden in memory of Jasper, which will be named after him.

A spokesperson for the school said: ‘This will be a place for reflection and contemplation and will be a lasting legacy to such an amazing young man’.

His parents hope to raise money to fund the permanent memorial and to donate to relevant charities once they know more about what caused their son’s death.

Click here to donate.