(TheIndependentStar.com) – A fun evening of trick-or-treating quickly turned into a parent’s worst nightmare when a child died from an E. coli infection after eating at a local McDonald’s on Halloween night.
Six-year-old Angelica Vazquez’s life was cut short by a seemingly innocent cheeseburger, leaving her family devastated.
Discussing her daughter’s sudden death, Samantha Ocasio said, “It was fast. It was really, really fast.”
She is now on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of E. coli and prevent other families from similar tragedies.
“I don’t want it to happen to anybody else’s kids. I don’t wish this on anybody at all,” Ocasio said.
The incident has revealed a broader E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s onions that affected 75 people in 13 states.
While no cases were officially reported in Massachusetts, the timing and circumstances of Angelica’s death raise serious questions about the true extent of the contamination.
McDonald’s has since stopped selling burgers with the affected onions and switched suppliers, but for Angelica’s family, it is too little, too late.
The fast-food giant’s response to the tragedy has been predictably corporate by offering condolences and distancing itself from any responsibility.
What is particularly concerning is how Angelica’s symptoms initially seemed like a common stomach bug, which critically delayed recognizing the severity of her condition.
The CDC notes that children under 5, adults over 65 and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for E. coli infections.
Adding insult to injury, Ocasio discovered the cause of her daughter’s death through the funeral home, not the hospital.
As a result of this tragedy, Angelica’s family has stopped eating out altogether, focusing instead on food safety at home.
Copyright 2024, TheIndependentStar.com
