Westchester Community Shaken After Sudden Death Of 2nd Grader
EASTCHESTER, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Grieving parents in a Westchester community are concerned after an elementary school student suddenly died.
Parents and students at Greenvale Elementary School are upset and scared following the district's confirmation of the death of second-grader Lily Kate on Saturday, CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported.
The exact cause has not yet been determined.
"I feel for the family. My God, I can't even imagine what they're going through at this point," one parent said.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family," school superintendent Dr. Walter Miran told WCBS 880's Sean Adams. "She's just an absolutely beautiful girl. Her dad described her to me as an angel, and I think that's what she is."
Miran sent out a statement late Saturday night trying to calm people's concerns.
The Westchester County health department "has assured us that the Greenvale School is safe for students and staff to return on Monday, and no additional action is necessary regarding the safety of the students and faculty and staff at this time," the statement read.
But that's not enough for Laura Covais, who has a fifth grader at Greenvale. She points to a memorial garden behind the school for another second grader from the same classroom who died suddenly of influenza in 2012 as a concern.
"I surely think this is all just coincidence, but I'm praying that it is. Right now I need to worry about the fact that he's going to school and we don't know what exactly is going on," Covais said.
She said she is keeping her son at home for now.
The Health Department told CBS2 there is absolutely no way that an influenza case from four years ago could be related to what happened to the child this weekend, calling it an isolated event.
Donations in Lily's memory can be made to the Hitchcock Presbyterian Church to help rebuild the playground.