CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A 12-year-old boy died after apparently having a severe allergic reaction to ant bites he suffered while warming up during halftime of a South Texas middle school football game.

Cameron Espinosa died days after being bitten multiple times by fire ants, officials said. The boy used a water bottle to try to flush away the ants Sept. 11 before eventually losing consciousness, said Lorette Williams, spokeswoman for the Corpus Christi Independent School District.

While medics are assigned to high school varsity football games in Texas, that is not the case with middle school games, Williams said. However, coaches are trained in first-aid and use of CPR and a defibrillator, she said. A defibrillator was used on Cameron at the field.

The eighth-grader remained hospitalized in critical condition until his death Monday, Williams said.