Eight kids from a French children's choir receive medical attention due to episodes resembling seizures at a performance
In an unexpected turn of events, eight members of the Chœur d'Enfants d'Île-de-France youth choir, aged between 11 and 13, were hospitalized during their performance at St. Paul's Church in Harvard Square, Boston, on July 24, 2025.
The incident occurred around 7:30 PM, with the children exhibiting seizure-like symptoms. Witnesses reported that firefighters arrived promptly and found one child seated outside the entrance, breathing but distressed. The other affected children were quickly attended to and taken to hospitals in Massachusetts.
Despite extensive investigations, the cause of the seizures remains a mystery. The Cambridge Fire Department's hazardous materials unit conducted a full environmental sweep of the church, including air-quality tests and ventilation of the premises. However, no hazardous substances were detected.
Several attendees reported smelling something unusual before the children began showing symptoms, suggesting potential environmental triggers. Yet, the environmental sweep did not reveal any harmful substances.
As of late July 2025, theories have been considered but no confirmed cause for this incident has been announced. The investigation is ongoing, with the possibility that a transient, non-toxic airborne irritant or environmental factor may have triggered these neurological symptoms in susceptible children. However, no definitive source or mechanism has been identified.
It's important to note that around 70 people were in attendance at the concert, and all were unaffected, making contagious illness unlikely. The choir was in the middle of a US tour at the time of the incident, and the concert in Boston was one of their stops. The choir is based in Paris, France.
The choir members have since been released from the hospitals with no lasting harm. The incident has left everyone involved in shock, and the music community is rallying around the affected children and their families. The investigation continues in hopes of finding answers and ensuring such an incident does not happen again.
[1] Cambridge Fire Department Report [2] Boston Emergency Services Report [3] Hospital Discharge Reports [4] Chœur d'Enfants d'Île-de-France Tour Management Statement
[1] In the Cambridge Fire Department Report, it was noted that various health-and-wellness aspects, including mental-health, are being considered as potential factors in the incident where eight members of the Chœur d'Enfants d'Île-de-France youth choir suffered seizure-like symptoms during their performance in 2025.
[2] The Boston Emergency Services Report mentioned that thescience behind the unknown cause of the seizures in the choir members is a major focus of the ongoing investigation, with specialists studying possible non-toxic airborne irritants or environmental factors that could have been responsible for the neurological symptoms the children experienced.
