An Alexandria, Virginia, family is grief-stricken after their 16-year-old son suddenly died at home Tuesday morning. The cause of his death is still under investigation.
Yonatan Vazquez Méndez, 16, was a freshman at Alexandria City High School.
His father said he found him dead Tuesday morning right before school in his bedroom.
"I saw him lying on the floor. I ran and hugged him," Vazquez Méndez's father, Daniel Vasquez, said in an interview with News4 sister station Telemundo44.
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The teen’s parents said they have no idea how their son died.
Just the night before, the family celebrated his mother's birthday.
"I don't understand what happened to my son because he had a life with many plans for him. I don't even know what to say because he was a very obedient child," the teen's mother, María Anabel Méndez, said.
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The family’s apartment was crowded Thursday with relatives who drove from Texas when they got the tragic news.
"I still can’t believe it because one day we had him with us and the other day we didn’t," said Yonatan's cousin Sindi Méndez.
His cousins said they saw Yonatan as a brother.
"He was very humble, sweet, kind, smart, energetic. He was, he was the type of person that … like, he was always there for you," cousin Chris Depaz said.
Music was Yonatan’s passion and something he’d hoped to pursue as a profession, his family said. He played guitar for their church's band every Sunday.
His parents said Yonatan had an important role in their family looking out for his two younger siblings and using his English language skills to help take care of the bills and other household business.
Alexandria police said they're investigating the circumstances of the teen's death and whether it had anything to do with opioids. They are awaiting a report from the medical examiner.
The family, however, said they’ve never seen any indication their son had tried drugs.
"I had a meeting with the counselor, and he said that they had never seen anything with Yonatan, and he told me, 'Really, I congratulate you for being vigilant because not all mothers are like you," María Anabel Méndez said.
