A Texas fourth-grader died unexpectedly sleeping three days after testing positive for COVID-19, and now her family is desperately looking for answers.
Makenzie Gongora, 9, of San Antonio, was put to bed by her mother on Feb. 2 after complaining she felt exhausted and never woke up, according to “Today.”
“My sister-in-law checked her out later in the night and realized she was no longer breathing and couldn’t find the pulse,” the girl’s aunt, Erica Gongora, told the show.
According to the family, Makenzie first complained of a stomach ache and a headache on Jan. 29 on her extracurricular program.
After the show staff took her temperature and found out she had a fever, the girl’s mother, Kristle Gongora, took her daughter to Brooke Army Medical Center, where Makenzie tested positive for COVID-19.
“Kenzie had no breathing problems,” another aunt, Victoria Southworth, told “Today.” “It simply came to our notice then. All the symptoms were mild. “
Doctors sent Makenzie home, telling her mother to watch the fever, Gongora said.
“The doctors told my sister-in-law (to) take her home and make her comfortable, to control the fever, and if she got to a certain point, or if there was any other major problem, to go ahead and take her back to the hospital, ”he said.
“At that time there was no heavy breathing or anything like that,” he added.
The family said Makenzie was small for her age, but that they were unaware of any pre-existing conditions before her death.
The grieving family is now awaiting the results of the autopsy to determine what killed their little girl.
“We just want to know,” Erica Gongora said. “Was there anything else that could have been done that could have saved his life?”
A GoFundMe page created by Southworth had raised nearly $ 65,000 Monday morning, more than double the $ 30,000 goal.
“We are still absolutely terrified by the outpouring of love and support,” Southworth wrote on the page.
“May you, from the bottom of your heart, send those who have sent prayers, wishes, monetary donations, donations of food, words of wisdom and thoughts.”