North Carolina

North Carolina teacher dies during school fire drill

Photo Courtesy: Virginian Pilot

HERTFORD, N.C. — Authorities in North Carolina say a fifth-grade teacher who fell ill during a fire drill died at school.

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Perquimans County Schools assistant superintendent James Bunch told officials that 45-year-old Kim Hunter Daugherty died Thursday morning of an undisclosed medical emergency at Hertford Grammar School.

Daugherty had taught for 20 years and was the daughter of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter, who played for the Oakland Athletics and was on five World Series-winning teams.

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Officials said Daugherty was the first girl in Perquimans County to play on the previously all-boy Little League teams.

Bunch said she was "a great teacher, a great colleague and she was loved."

School was canceled that afternoon and counselors and ministers were made available.

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