At a three-year-old girl’s burial, an extraordinary incident shocked everyone in attendance and raised questions about the timing of the medical error-related early announcement of her demise.
After the young girl there was mistakenly pronounced dead, Camila Roxana Martinez Mendoza’s family accused the Salinas de Hidalgo Basic Community Hospital of negligence.
The tragedy began when Camila’s mother, Mary Jane Mendoza, brought her to a pediatrician in their hometown of Villa de Ramos because the youngster had been experiencing excruciating stomach pain, vomiting, and fever.
Given the gravity of the situation, the pediatrician advised that they seek medical attention for their dehydration at a hospital in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potos.
Upon arriving at the Salinas de Hidalgo Basic Community Hospital, she was immediately attended to by the medical staff. They carried out procedures like applying a towel to cool her off and using a pulse oximeter attached to one of her fingers to check her oxygen saturation.
The day after Camila was released from the hospital with a prescription for paracetamol to treat her pain and fever, her condition started to deteriorate. A new physician examined her, prescribed a different medication, and advised her mother to give the patient fruits and water.
Her parents decided to get more medical help out of concern that Camila’s condition would get worse. An emergency room visit was strongly advised by a different physician.
Camila was readmitted to the Salinas de Hidalgo Basic Community Hospital between nine and ten o’clock at night. The hospital’s medical staff gave careful attention.
Camila’s small veins were hard for the medical staff to find, making intravenous therapy difficult. After some time, a nurse established an intravenous line and successfully administered the required oxygen support.
Ten minutes later, the medical team decided to remove the young girl’s intravenous line, and she was taken to a different location to rest. In a heartbreaking moment, Camila’s mother recalled, “She was still hugging me when they took her away and told me, “You have to let her rest in peace”.
When Mendoza was strangely separated from her sick child in a enclosed space, her suffering increased. She tried to get into the area where Camila was being held, but she was unsuccessful. Sadly, it was later discovered that Camila’s death was caused by dehydration.
So that friends and family could say their final goodbyes, the toddler’s viewing and funeral were planned for the following day. The glass window on Camila’s coffin was misting, which Mendoza noticed in the midst of the solemn gathering.
Mendoza was initially discouraged from opening the coffin by mourners, who thought it was just a figment of her imagination. Curiosity made Camila’s paternal grandmother quickly assess the situation; she was startled to see Camila’s eyes moving and amazed to know she still had a pulse.
When the tragic news at the funeral was revealed, Camila was immediately transported back in an ambulance to the Salinas de Hidalgo Basic Community Hospital. She was once more pronounced dead due to cerebral edema, a condition characterized by brain swelling, despite the doctors’ best efforts to bring her back to life.
That was truly my baby’s end, Mendoza said in a voice choked with grief”.
“My daughter was a joyful and devoted individual. She was cordial with everyone she encountered and gave them all the same respect.
As a result, we are devastated.
Mendoza also expressed gratitude for the support they received from many residents of the area, as everyone adored Camila.
Sadly, Camila’s first day of school, which was scheduled to occur later that week, was not as anticipated by the family. Their daughter’s unexpected passing has left them deeply saddened and unconsolable.
Camila’s parents initially received a death certificate with dehydration as the only listed cause of death. However, it was discovered that dehydration, metabolic failure, and cerebral edema were listed as the causes of death on a second death certificate.
Mendoza claimed that her daughter’s demand for justice had inspired her to call for accountability. She made it clear that she had no personal beef with the medical team that had tried to save Camila’s life in such a dire circumstance. She calls for a complete reorganization of the medical staff, including the directors, doctors, and nurses, in order to stop more instances of these tragic occurrences.
The tragic incident that has received a lot of attention is being investigated by San Luis Potos’ State Attorney General, Jose Luis Ruiz. In the course of the ongoing investigation, he has admitted that an autopsy is currently being performed.
