Mom Sues San Angelo ISD Over Child's "Life-Changing" Illness

SAN ANGELO, TX — Heather Prewitt of San Angelo has sued the San Angelo Independent School District, alleging a "cascade of reckless decisions" by head tennis coach Brent Abilez that endangered her freshman son's health, "derailed his athletic future, and left him with lasting physical limitations and emotional distress."

According to the lawsuit filed Sept. 5, Prewitt's son missed the bus to a tennis meet, so she drove him there herself. However, they arrived late, and Coach Abilez took notice and "retaliated" during the following Monday's practice after the San Angelo Central tennis team returned over the weekend.

The lawsuit states that in February 2024, Prewitt's son was forced to perform a “hovey” exercise. "This exercise is notoriously grueling, consisting of repeated sprints, frog jumps, suicides, and extended running across the length of four tennis courts," court documents state.

Coach Abilez assigned a varsity tennis player to supervise the punishing exercises, adding insult to injury, the lawsuit alleges. The "hovey" exercise lasted an hour, during which Prewitt's son was denied water or rest breaks.

Prewitt claimed that her son's body was not as developed as the senior athletes who were supervising his punishment.

As a result of the hour-long, high-intensity workout, Prewitt said her son experienced severe pain, particularly in his legs. He attempted self-care by hydrating and soaking in warm baths, but found no relief. A few days later, this was followed by dark discoloration of his urine and escalating leg pain. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening condition in which muscle tissue breaks down and releases toxic substances into the bloodstream, potentially causing permanent organ damage.

Prewitt's son was hospitalized for nine days as a result. In an unrelated weight-lifting workout months later, in July 2024, he suffered a relapse of rhabdomyolysis and was hospitalized for five more days.

Prewitt is seeking compensation for her son's physical pain, mental anguish, medical expenses, and ongoing "educational services." She is also demanding for herself, as the mother, nominal damages, as well as compensation for past and future mental anguish, including mental healthcare costs.

Prewitt is represented by attorney Ryan Kennedy of the Houston law firm Paranjpe Mahadass Ruemke LLP. The firm made headlines when it represented parents who sued Apple Inc. in 2022 for allegedly causing hearing damage to their 12-year-old son after a loud Amber Alert sounded while he was wearing Apple AirPods. That lawsuit, which claimed the boy suffered hearing loss, was dismissed in Apple's favor in April of this year.

The San Angelo ISD has until the end of this month to respond to the lawsuit.