E.coli death in Oregon has shattered a family. The death of a little girl named Serena Faith Profitt from Oregon is being blamed on an E. coli infection. As the Profitt family mourns the death of Serena, they are praying for a little boy, Brad Sutton who suffered kidney failure, he contracted E. coli after the kids shared a turkey sandwich.
The death of a little girl in Oregon is due to complications associated with a virulent strain of E. coli. Serena Faith Profitt, 4 years of age was removed from life support on Monday.
About a week ago, the child was with her family and friends near the Oregon coast celebrating labor day. During the gathering, the group decided to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant in Lincoln City.
The little girl ordered a turkey sandwich and decided to share it with her friend Brad Sutton who is 5. No one else ate from the sandwich.
In less than 24 hours both children fell very ill, with fever, excruciating stomach pain, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. On Wednesday, Serena’s parents took her to Lincoln City hospital where her health improved and was sent home.
Serena underwent several tests at the medical center, but the results showed nothing. The following day the child became terribly ill again and was rushed to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, where she tested positive for E. coli.
While at the hospital, her health started deteriorating and she went into kidney failure. She later suffered a stroke and gradually the E.coli virus moved to her brain causing her organs to shut down.
On Monday morning, doctors pronounced Serena brain dead and later in the day her family decided to remove her from life support.
Serena Faith Profitt’s grandmother Sherri Profitt, said that dozens of people came to the hospital to say goodbye and sang her granddaughter’s favorite song “Jesus Loves Me.” She added:
“I can’t imagine how in eight days I lose my precious baby and too fast.Hold on to your babies, hold on to them.”
The family has also started a Go Fund Me account in order to cover medical bills and the funeral.
According to relatives, Serena has a 2-year-old sister whom she loved to play with, was madly in love with the song “Rockin’ Robin” and taught her cousins the lyrics.
The family’s pastor who did not wish to reveal his name spoke to the media confirming that the group did eat at a local restaurant in Otis and explained:
“The family played in a pond in the Lebanon area, playing in a river, and they did eat at a restaurant here in the Lincoln City area. The family has said the one thing those two children did that none of the other kids did was share a sandwich at this particular restaurant.”
Asked for the name of the eatery, the religious man declined to answer.
The mother of Brad Sutton, Elizabeth Sutton said that he is currently at the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital after being stricken with a kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, caused by E. coli infection.
Sutton explained that he is getting better and they are watching over him night and day. She revealed that she grew up with Serena’s parents and was looking forward to see their kids grow up together too.
Oregon Public Health officials believe that Profitt and Sutton were infected by the rare E. coli strain O157:H7. E. coli strain O157:H7 caused the death of one child in 2010.
The E.coli death in Oregon has prompted Lincoln County Health and Human Services to open an investigation to find the source.
Tim Prudhel with Lincoln County Health and Human Services said in a statement:
“At this time the Lincoln County Health and Human Services Department through its Public Health Division along with the State Public Health Division are continuing to investigate an unconfirmed E coli case.”
Some believe that if the health experts at Lincoln City hospital had done the proper tests, maybe the child would be alive.
An E.coli death in Oregon has shaken a family at its core and now a community is looking for answers.
It’s sad she died. I live south of Lincoln City so this tragedy hits almost close to home.
I’ve been complaining about the sewage contamination in Alsea for a year now- no further tests, against the stench and muck downtown. How long will it be before on of my neighbor’s kids are looking at me out of my dreams? Because I didn’t do enough to keep a bottom dollar of some slumlord’s sewage from killing them? Their parents are ignorant of the danger and afraid- too afraid to stand up for themselves against the harassment they’ll face if they speak up. This belongs in the Third World somewhere- not in America.