13-Year-Old Cheerleader Dies Mysteriously After Falling Ill Before Competition

A 13-year-old Kentucky cheerleader mysteriously died after falling ill just before a competition Saturday.

Eighth-grader Lilliana Schalck’s father Dan said Wednesday that his daughter was warming up at the competition Saturday when her feet started tingling and hands went numb.

"I kind of took her aside, was maybe going to get her some fluids. She was just getting kind of weaker, just not acting herself. She just wanted to sit on the floor,” Dan told ABC News.

The girl was rushed to a children's hospital in Columbus.

"Very quickly in the ER things just kind of degraded. The nurse liaison pulled me aside and asked me who would be important in her life that I might like to call,” Dan said, adding "In the ICU they were working on her. At some point I was able to get close, hold her hand. At that point they just couldn't do anymore.”

Her heart stopped multiple times and she was pronounced dead Saturday night. The father didn't know the cause of death.

"One nurse came out and said, 'We have no idea. We're grasping.’ I was in disbelief. I couldn't understand what had happened so quickly,” he said.

“Maybe she was dehydrated? Pinched nerve? I thought dehydrated, first thought. And when you saw all the doctors come to you, you had to think what is going on, right? All this for this, what is going on? And the liaison took me back and was like in a very short time, she said is there somebody you should call and I said for what reason and she said this is pretty serious and I said you gotta be kidding me,” Dan told Cincinnati.com.

Speaking to ABC News, Dr. Anahi Ortiz of the Franklin County Coroner's Office said nothing was found in the autopsy report. "We have pending for cause and manner at this time," Ortiz said.

Describing his daughter as a kind and sincere child, her father said, "She was a happy kid. She loved her school.”

In a tweet Sunday, Fort Thomas Independent Schools Superintendent Karen Chese wrote, “It is with such sadness that I inform you that we have lost an eighth-grade student. She is beloved by so many and we know our students will need help through the grieving process.”

A private vigil was held at the girl’s school earlier this week during which Principal Michael Howton said, “One of our sayings here is caring for yourself, each other and this place. It’s really a time to put your arm around somebody and show some support and just provide that shoulder to lean on if needed.”

The full coroner's report on the girl’s death is expected to take around 10 weeks.