12-year-old California girl dies from infection misdiagnosed as flu
VISALIA, California -- Family members of a 12-year-old girl who died suddenly are warning people of symptoms that coincide with the flu but are actually a much more dangerous infection.
Alyssa Alcaraz reportedly showed signs of having the flu, and with so many people being impacted by it, loved ones were certain that was what she had.
But it was not until she died that they learned the young girl had a bacterial infection that was spreading quickly throughout her body.
Family members are now cherishing a video of the pre-teen doing what she loved most, singing. No one thought it would be the middle school student's last concert, but 10 days later, she was gone.
Mariah Alcaraz recalls the day her sister got sick.
"I remember she came home from school, and she was throwing up," she said. "And I thought, oh, she's probably got food poisoning. Shes going to be OK."
Alyssa's mom said doctors told them her daughter had the flu. But after a few days of staying home from school and not getting better, they took Alyssa back to urgent care.
That is when a physician realized the young girl's oxygen levels were low, and she was immediately rushed to Kaweah Delta Medical Center by ambulance.
Within hours, Alyssa's organs started shutting down. By 2:50 Sunday afternoon, the vibrant girl with a passion for music was dead.
Her death certificate said she went into cardiac arrest and septic shock from a strep blood infection -- an infection no one in her family knew she had.
Now, they are left holding onto memories and a cell phone video where Alyssa reminds them of how much they meant to her.
If you would like to donate to the Alcaraz family you can visit their GoFundMe page.
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