Preschooler With Dairy Allergy Killed by Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Family Says
Elijah Silvera was in his pre-K class in New York City when he went into anaphylactic shock.
A New York City toddler with a dairy allergy died last week after his family alleges he was fed a grilled cheese sandwich while at his pre-K.
Elijah Silvera was at Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services on Nov. 3 when he reportedly went into anaphylactic shock.
The 3-year-old was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
"He was given a grilled cheese sandwich by an adult at the pre-K, despite them knowing and having documented that he has a severe allergy to dairy," a GoFundMe page created by a family member said. "Elijah went into anaphylactic shock and was taken to the Pediatric ER at Harlem Hospital, where, tragically, they were unable to save him."
Health officials said it appears the school failed to follow a written safety plan and failed to supervise a child adequately, according to CBS New York..
The school said it was conducting its own investigation.
"There is nothing more important than the safety of our children and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy," the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene said in a statement to InsideEdition.com. "We will get to the bottom of what happened here. In the meantime, we closed the Center for Family Services and continuing to aggressively investigate what happened and whether the facility could have done something differently to prevent this tragedy."
In the GoFundMe page, Elijah's family said they are "immersed in our grief."
"Our family is only beginning the long and painful process of adjusting to a world that does not include Elijah in it. As we ease into this unthinkable reality and say goodbye to our sweet, joyful Elijah — and our hopes and dreams for all he would become — we thank you for your support," the page reads.