A mother from Springfield, Massachusetts, wants to educate parents about the dangers of E. coli bacteria, a few weeks after the death of her daughter, victim of the epidemic which affected several McDonald’s restaurants in the United States, reports the site Masslive.com.
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On October 31, little Angelica Vasquez, 6, went to eat at McDonald’s with her family, just before leaving to collect Halloween candy. Unlike her siblings, who all ate chicken nuggets, Angelica opted for a cheeseburger.
The next day, the little girl started to feel sick. Her mother, Samantha Ocasio, sat her in front of the television to rest and made sure she stayed hydrated by making her drink Gatorade regularly.
On November 2, little Angelica started vomiting at home and her mother took her to the bathroom, then gave her a bath. They played together with the bubbles, but 45 minutes later, the girl’s condition deteriorated and she fell unconscious just after telling her mother: “I love you.”
These words ultimately turned out to be the last spoken by the little girl who died a few hours later in hospital.
Indeed, after losing consciousness, Angelica was transported to Baystate Medical Center; When she arrived, the young girl was in cardiac arrest.
After being unable to find out how her daughter was doing, the staff finally told her that Angelica would have to spend a few days in the hospital. So the family went to get clothes for the six-year-old girl.
“I thought I was going to spend three to five days in the hospital and then I was going to bring my baby home,” the mother testified.
Doctors later advised Samantha Ocasio that her daughter had suffered brain damage due to lack of oxygen. Finally, 12 hours into her hospitalization, Angelica died.
In memory of her daughter, Samantha Ocasio wants to help other parents by warning them about E. coli.
“What will happen if the next parent thinks it’s just a bowel problem? What will happen if the next parent does not recognize the signs or symptoms? asks the mother.
It is possible to catch E. coli at any age, but children under five and adults over 65 are most at risk, due to their weaker immune systems.
