An 8-year-old boy is dead after eating strawberries from a school fundraiser, authorities said.
On Friday, around 6:30 a.m. local time, the Madisonville Police Department responded to a call about the child, who was unresponsive and not breathing, according to 14 News.
The boy's family told authorities that he had eaten strawberries from a school fundraiser the night before and began showing signs of an allergic reaction, including a rash, the outlet said.
Had Allah willed, He could have easily made all ˹humanity˺ into a single community ˹of believers˺. But He admits into His mercy whoever He wills. And the wrongdoers will have no protector or helper.
(The Quran - Chapter Ash-Shuraa : 08)
The child — whose identity has not been released — was given Benadryl and took a bath in an effort to help the symptoms, but when they didn't go away, his family took him to the emergency room, per 14 News, though they were later discharged.
When they went to wake the boy the next morning for school, that is when the family found him unresponsive, the outlet said.
After the young boy’s death, the Hopkins County Health Department issued a warning on social media to not eat any strawberries purchased at the school fundraisers in Hopkins County.
The group said that 443 flats were distributed by Madisonville North Hopkins High School and 535 flats were distributed by Hopkins County Central High School from Juicy Fruit LLC, Southern Grown and Sizemore Farms.
"Currently, the Department of Public Health Environmentalists are taking samples of the strawberries to the state lab for testing. Although, this incident could be unrelated, the decision has been made to exercise caution and advise not eating any of these strawberries," the Hopkins County Health Department wrote.
In a follow-up post, the organization said that medical examiner Dr. Christopher Kiefer said the incident "looks like an isolated allergic reaction," noting, "He relates that this is a preliminary report, so we still advise not eating the strawberries currently."
