Authorities are investigating the death of a three-year-old boy who had dairy allergies, and who may have died from eating grilled cheese given to him.
The boy, Elijah Silvera from Harlem, Manhattan, was at the local Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services where he was attending pre-K. An adult at the center apparently gave him the sandwich, according to information shared in a GoFundMe page set up for the boy.
Silveria was then rushed to the pediatric emergency room due to anaphylactic shock but died soon after on Nov. 3.
Parents at the center expressed concern over their own children.”I know that my daughter goes to this school, and if something happened to her I would be over the moon upset,” a parent, Jason Pruitt, told WABC-TV.
Donations from the GoFundMe page will be used to get a second autopsy for Silvera, as it is unclear whether responsibility for his death will be held accountable by the school or the hospital.
“We want to find out exactly what caused Elijah’s death and that will mean sorting out exactly where if any, breakdowns may have occurred at either the school or the hospital,” said Liz Murray, who volunteered to set up the GoFundMe page.
Parts of the will also go to the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), a nonprofit organization focusing on the food allergy community. Katrina Hallare/JB
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