A 10-year-old Massachusetts girl died days after she choked on a carrot at school, according to new reports.
Marilyn Ofobi Korankyewaa was eating the vegetable during snack time at Belmont Community School in Worchester earlier this month when she began to struggle for air, local outlet WCVB 5 reported.
“She ran to the bathroom. Fortunately, she went in there with a friend,” Marilyn’s uncle, Ken Asafo-Adjei, told the station. “So her friend had to rush back to [the teachers] when Marilyn was complaining that she was choking on something.”
School staff administered first aid, called 911 and notified Marilyn’s parents, according to the report.
But Marilyn had already lost consciousness and never regained it. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital on Sept. 17, according to the report.
“Going to the bathroom, nobody was there,” John Amoah, a local pastor and family friend, told the station. “We don’t know what happened. I’m not saying this to blame them, but if the school has a system in place that will be good, a procedure.”
The family told the outlet that the entire community has supported them after the tragic incident, including Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty.
“They’re looking for closure,” Petty told local station WHDH. “I think they want to know what happened exactly – a timeline. We’ll do that.”
The school superintendent’s office declined to comment to the station, to respect the privacy of the girl’s family.
“I’m still asking questions … like … how can someone just pass away from eating carrots?” Maggie Bota, Marilyn’s cousin, asked, according to the outlet.
Marilyn was an intelligent pre-teen who enjoyed public speaking and sometimes preached at church, Asafo-Adjei told the station.
“I was even thinking the first female president of the land,” he said. “Unfortunately that couldn’t happen … my vision, my dream for her.”