In the early hours of February 2, 9-year-old Makenzie Gongora of San Antonio, Texas, died unexpectedly after being put to bed by her mother, Kristle Gongora. In interviews with TODAY, members of both sides of her family said she died three days after the positive test for COVID-19.
Makenzie’s father’s sister, Erica Gongora of Austin, Texas, said TODAY that Makenzie complained of a very severe headache and stomach ache when she was in after-school care on January 29. The after-school care center took her temperature and they found that she had a fever.
According to Makenzie’s maternal aunt, Victoria Southworth, 37, of Boonville, Missouri, Makenzie’s mother took her to the Brooke Army Medical Center for a COVID-19, strep and flu test later that day. While the strep and flu tests were negative, the COVID-19 test was positive.
“Kenzie had no breathing problems,” said Southworth. “There was nothing important going on. All symptoms were mild. “
Gongora said TODAY: “The doctors told my sister-in-law (to) take her home and make her comfortable, to monitor her fever, and if she overcame a certain point, or if there was any other serious problem that occurred, to go ahead and bring her back to the hospital. “
“There was no hard breathing or anything, at that point,” Gongora added.
Both aunts say that during the weekend, Makenzie’s symptoms came and went, but overall everything was manageable and she was fine.
On February 1, Gongora recalled that Makenzie started complaining about bedtime that he was feeling very exhausted. She went to sleep early that night. “My sister-in-law later examined her at night and realized that she was no longer breathing and couldn’t find the pulse,” she said.
Makenzie’s family revealed that they were unaware of any underlying conditions that she might have, but noted that Makenzie was a little small for her age.
The Makenzie school district in Northside, Texas, spoke about his death in a statement to TODAY on behalf of his school, Scarborough Elementary.
“The Scarborough Elementary School community is saddened by the loss of fourth grader Makenzie Gongora,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with her family during this very difficult time.”
Remembered by her family as a bright and lively young woman, Makenzie loved to cook and dress up and Roblox, a user-generated gaming platform.
Shortly after Makenzie’s death, Southworth created a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than $ 60,000. According to the fundraiser, she died on the birthday of her father, Nathan Gongora.
Both aunts shared that in the late afternoon, on the day of Makenzie’s death, her family took the COVID-19 test and her father and 8-year-old sister’s tests were positive.
In addition to trying to control his pain, Makenzie’s parents want to do everything they can to make sure they don’t lose their second child with the virus, too, according to Gongora.
Currently, Makenzie’s family is waiting for more information about the cause of her death. According to the sisters of both parents, his body was sent to a laboratory in Dallas, Texas, to be examined. An autopsy is still pending.
“We hope this gives us the answer as to whether or not it was completely related to COVID, or exacerbated by COVID or nothing to do with COVID,” Southworth told TODAY.
Gongora added: “We just want to know if there was anything else that could have been done to save her life?”
After the autopsy results arrive, Makenzie’s body will be sent back to San Antonio. Once quarantined, her family plans to bury her at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. TODAY verified that Makenzie was not eligible to be an organ donor for reasons related to COVID-19. According to LifeSource, a nonprofit organ donation organization, if someone has an active COVID-19 infection or dies from it, they are prevented from becoming an organ, eye and tissue donor.
Makenzie’s aunts want their story to raise awareness that, although children normally do not have serious illnesses due to COVID-19, they can become seriously ill.
“(Makenzie’s parents) followed all the directions they received from doctors, and doctors are also perplexed (how much) why Makenzie was one of the children taken by COVID,” said Gongora.
