District: New Canaan Boy, 10, Passed Away Unexpectedly Sunday [UPDATED]

[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with information from the superintendent of schools.]

District officials on Sunday afternoon notified parents that a New Canaan boy in the fourth grade at West School had passed away unexpectedly in the morning.

Nico Mallozzi was rushed to the hospital after he fell ill while traveling home from a hockey tournament that he had left early because he wasn’t feeling well, according to an email from Saxe Middle School Principal Greg Macedo.

“Tragically, they were unable to save him,” Macedo said in the email.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi said the cause of death has not been determined.

The subject line of his message was “We are mourning the loss of a West School student …” and the email started “… and supporting the siblings who attend Saxe.”

Macedo said in the email that Nico’s three siblings include an older brother and sister at Saxe and a younger brother at West.

According to a profile page for the CT RoughRiders Hockey Club, Nico was 10.

He “was a wonderful, friendly child, known throughout West as the voice of the afternoon announcements that concluded each day,” Luizzi said.

“He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered,” the superintendent said.

The Mallozzis have been in the school community since their eldest child started in kindergarten nine years ago and are “well known as an active, positive, and supportive family,” Macedo said.

“We are devastated at the loss of this vibrant young boy,” the principal said in the email. “Please join me in keeping the family in your thoughts and prayers.”

Macedo said that school officials have no further details “but I wanted to let you know what happened as soon as we could.”

“We will continue to monitor and share information as it becomes available,” he said in the email.

Though New Canaan Public Schools will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, West will be open from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for students, families and staff to come together, according to Macedo.

“The Saxe Crisis Team will be preparing appropriate supports for our students, as they return to school on Tuesday,” he said. “Please contact your child’s counselor if you would like to share any additional information about how we can be supportive to your child.”