A GRIEVING mother is seeking justice for the death of her six-year-old daughter, who died two days after falling ill from allegedly eating coconut meat in coconut water with milk and sugar, a dessert locally known as “lamaw.”
Mylene Faburada, 43, an attendant at a burger store near a university along P. Del Rosario St. in Cebu City, who hails from Barangay Sapangdaku, expressed her disappointment with the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) in an interview with SunStar Cebu.
She said her daughter would still be alive had she been given dextrose at the CCMC.
CCMC chief of hospital Dr. Peter Mancao told SunStar Cebu in a text message on Sunday, April 7, 2024, that they are investigating the incident, saying they will convene on Monday, April 8, to establish the timeline of the incident.
Timeline
Faburada said that on the morning of March 31, her daughter ate the dessert lamaw, which was given by their neighbor.
Later that evening, the child complained of stomach ache, prompting Faburada’s family to bring her to a doctor in Barangay Guadalupe, where they were prescribed medication.
Since the girl had not yet recovered on the morning of April 1, Faburada said they returned to the doctor, who recommended admitting the child to the CCMC.
Faburada said that when they arrived at the hospital past 8 p.m. they waited for a few hours before they were given a medical prescription. They then bought the prescribed medicine which was injected into her daughter, who was the youngest and only girl among five siblings, she said.
On April 2, the complete blood count and urine test results came back normal, and they were told to go home.
“Luya man ako anak. Gusto niya mata-uran siya’g dextrose. Dili siya ganahan nga mogawas sa hospital pero gipapa-uli man mi,” Mylene said.
(My daughter was weak. She wanted to be given dextrose. She did not like to leave the hospital, but we were sent home.)
After processing the paperworks at the Malasakit Center, they were discharged from the hospital.
However, Faburada said that when they arrived home, her daughter’s eyes widened rapidly, so they returned to the CCMC, but she passed away soon after.
“Nahibulong ko nga pneumonia man daw namatyan sa akong anak. Gisakitan ra man siya sa tiyan,” according to Faburada.
(I was taken aback to learn that my daughter died of pneumonia. She was only complaining of a stomach ache.)
Faburada said they wanted the doctors who took care of her daughter to be held accountable.
She said her daughter would still be alive if she had been given dextrose.
She added that since they had so much fun with the victim -- who loved to dance on TikTok -- there is no room for her grief. / GPL, TPT, AML