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Police Investigate Pembroke Pines Teen's Death

PEMBROKE PINES  (CBS4) - As students left Pembroke Pines Charter High School Friday afternoon for spring break, they did so with heavy hearts.

They are mourning the loss of a friend and classmate who died Wednesday due to head injuries suffered after he was beaten and dragged by a car. Close friends shared their thoughts with CBS4's Joan Murray Friday.

Kevin Burton, 16, was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Pembroke Pines on Monday night where he had been in critical condition with massive head injuries.

Meanwhile, students at the high school expressed disbelief after school officials told students about Burton's death. Grief counselors were at the school Wednesday.

"He was a good kid. We didn't know something so bad would happen to him like that," said Christian Cristancho who said he ran track with Burton. "It's a great, great loss."

Rachel Gordon commented, "Today in my lunch hour we had a praying session and we all clapped for him. It's been a solemn time. Everyone is distraught, torn up about it."

Pembroke Pines Police are saying little about Burton's death, but close friends said he was beaten and then run over inside the Parkside at Spring Valley community off Sheridan Street on Monday night.

Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue rushed the teen from NW 164 Ave. and NW 21 St. to the hospital.

Brian Navarro a junior at the school said, "It's something he didn't deserve. It shouldn't have happened to him; one of those kids everybody was friends with, very popular."

Police said they were investigating his death, but released no other details.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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