A 4-year-old Texas girl dies from COVID-related symptoms

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) – A 4-year-old girl from Texas died sleeping shortly after having a fever. Health officials believe his death was related to COVID.

Karra Harwood, the mother of 4-year-old Kali Cook, told the Houston Chronicle that her daughter died Sept. 7 while sleeping at home. The forensic doctor’s agent confirmed that Kali tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of her death.

Harwood says the 4-year-old was happy and playful on Labor Day, but that he had a fever a few hours on Tuesday and suddenly died.

The Galveston County Health District says Kali’s death is a COVID-related death, but they are still working to determine the official cause of the girl’s death.

Harwood wanted to make it clear that his daughter was healthy and had no pre-existing condition.

Kali was a preschooler at KE Little Elementary School in Bacliff, Texas. In a letter sent to parents, officials said they had last been to school on Sept. 1 and were never notified of any exposure or positivity to COVID-19.

Dr. Phillip Keizer, with the county health district, says they don’t believe his death is related to being in school.

Keizer encourages parents to keep a close eye on COVID-19 symptoms in their children. More than 300 Texas children are hospitalized with the virus, according to state data.

“If your child is younger, can be vaccinated and has COVID, or has symptoms that could be COVID, you should take him or her to seek care immediately. Most children do absolutely well. In fact, many children are asymptomatic, but if your child has any symptoms, it’s a good idea to take them to see, ”Keizer said.

Kali’s death was the first COVID-related pediatric death in Galveston County.

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