Apre-Kschool in New York is under investigation following the death of a boy whose parents claim he was given a grilled cheese sandwich despite school officials having been warned of his allergy to dairy.
The parents of 3-year-old Elijah Silvera said they were summoned to Harlem’s Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services on Nov. 3, where their son was gasping for breath as his airway was swelling shut.
Advertisement
School officials did not call 911, according to Elijah’s family, and he was instead taken by his mother to a local hospital. Despite their best efforts, doctors were unable to save the child’s life.
Elijah’s father, Thomas Silvera, told ABC News that an adult at the school had given his son a grilled cheese sandwich and the food caused his son to go into anaphylactic shock. Silvera said the boy’s mother had previously told the school their son had a severe allergy to dairy and had provided medications and paperwork. Had the school followed protocol, he said, the child’s death could have been prevented.
“I’m pissed off that this had to happen to my son,” Silvera said Thursday.
We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of 3-year-old Elijah Silvera and are actively investigating all aspects of this EarlyLearn program, along w/ @nycHealthy. In the meantime, @nychealthy has closed the Center for Family Services & is continuing to aggressively investigate. https://t.co/ZI4G3Kg7e3
New York City officials have since shut down the school, pending the outcome of the investigation.
“We will get to the bottom of what happened here,” Christopher Miller, press secretary for the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, said in a statement.
Advertisement
The Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services did not immediately return a request for comment.
Elijah’s parents and his older brother are heartbroken over their loss, according to a GoFundMe page set up by a family friend.
“It is an unimaginable time for everyone who loved Elijah, in particular for his 5-year-old brother Sebastian, who struggles to understand that his brother is truly gone,” reads the GoFundMe page, which the family shared with news outlets. “We dread the upcoming holiday season without our little boy. We are lost.”
According to the GoFundMe page, a portion of the money raised will be used for funeral expenses and a second, independent autopsy.
“It is unclear where responsibility for Elijah’s death will fall,” the fundraising page explains. “We want to find out exactly what caused Elijah’s death and that will mean sorting out exactly where, if any, breakdowns may have occurred.”
Advertisement
As of Friday afternoon, the page had received almost $50,000 in donations.
Elijah’s family did not return a request for further comment.
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.