What led to Jedidiah King Cabezuela dying and three other children becoming ill from E.Coli after visiting a San Diego County Fair petting zoo?
A family is mourning the death of a two-year-old boy who passed away four days after being exposed to E.coli at the San Diego County Fair earlier this month.
Jedidiah King Cabezuela passed away on June 24 nine days after visiting the petting zoo. Jedi died from Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) while hospitalized from severe complication of the E. coli infection, NBC San Diego reported.
The boy had visited the fair on June 15 and became sick on June 19, according to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.
He was one of four children who got sick after he was exposed to the bacteria FOX5 Sandiego reported. The other three children are understood to have recovered.
The exact source of the bacteria is still under investigation, but all four reported having contact with animals while visiting the San Diego County Fair from June 8-15
Did San Diego County Fair rigorously follow safety standards?
The child’s great uncle Ed Sanford told 10News the boy suffered stomach problems four days after visiting the fair.
He also insists that the youngster washed his hands after touching the animals at the petting zoo.
Sanford said that the boy was in and out of the emergency room for three days as his symptoms got worse.
Then, his kidneys failed, before he died on June 24.
Fair officials have now closed public access to all animal areas, including the petting zoo, but plan to keep the fair open.
‘The family should not have to worry about that. You’re there to have a good time. This is just really, really sad,’ Sanford said.
Not immediately clear is how E.Coli managed to make its way at the fair and to what degree safety standards were followed by organizers.
Jedi’s case is still being investigated by county health officials. A forthcoming autopsy report was expected to yield more information about the infection the boy contracted and the complications with HUS.
Jedidiah’s family has set up a GoFundMe account and have held fundraisers to help pay for his funeral. As of Sunday evening, 7pm EST, $21,386 was raised of a $20,000 goal.
