LAPORTE | The family of a 9-year-old boy who choked to death on a hot dog while eating lunch at school won a $5 million jury verdict against the school.

A LaPorte County jury found the LaPorte Community School Corp. was negligent for not implementing an emergency plan or training staff to perform CPR.

Juan Loera's family, represented by Kenneth J. Allen & Associates of Valparaiso, claimed personnel at Hailmann Elementary School in LaPorte attempted to help the boy, but without training for such emergencies the attempts were unsuccessful and the boy died the next day.

School district officials could not be reached Friday afternoon for comment. -- By Times Staff