Feb. 2, 9-year-old Makenzie Gongora of San Antonio, Texas died unexpectedly after testing positive for COVID-19 her mother, Kristle Gongora said.
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In the early hours of Feb. 2, 9-year-old Makenzie Gongora of San Antonio, Texas died unexpectedly after being tucked into bed by her mother, Kristle Gongora. In interviews with TODAY, members from both sides of her family say she died three days after testing positive for COVID-19.
Makenzie’s father’s sister Erica Gongora of Austin, Texas, told TODAY that Makenzie complained of having a really bad headache and stomachache when she was at after-school care on Jan. 29. The after-school care center took her temperature and they found out that she had a fever.
“Kenzie did not have any respiratory issues,” Southworth said. “There was nothing major going on. All the symptoms were mild.”
Shortly after Makenzie’s death, Southworth created a GoFundMe campaign, which has already raised more than $60,000.
According to the fundraiser, she died on her father, Nathan Gongora’s birthday.
Both aunts shared that later in the afternoon on the day Makenzie died, her family got COVID-19 tests administered, and her dad and 8-year-old sister’s tests came back positive.