Local Girl Dies from Staph Infection

- Job Openings at NewsChannel 5
- EEO Annual Public File

Posted:

BETHPAGE, Tenn. - An 11-year-old girl died this weekend from a confirmed case of staph infection.

Letters went home last week warning parents that Kristen Hunter, a student at North Sumner Elementary in Bethpage, had contracted the infection.

Sunday morning, Kristen died after roughly a week at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. The hospital said the child had MRSA and pneumonia. MRSA can be deadly in children because of how quickly the infection spreads. Also a child's immune system may not be fully developed.

Jeremy Johnson, a spokesman for Sumner County Schools, was re-assuring parents that Kristen's classroom had been thoroughly cleaned, and there was no immediate threat to other students.

In a statement he said, "When we were first notified about having a MRSA infection, we cleaned the school and sent a letter home to parents. In our conversation with Vanderbilt doctors they informed us her type of infection wasn't a risk to otherwise healthy students. The school is safe. Parents should not be concerned about their children's safety at school. We've used procedures recommended by the Center for Disease Control for cleaning. Our thoughts and prayers from all of Sumner County are with the family."

Officials were encouraging parents to tell their children to wash their hands often, using soap and water or hand sanitizer. They also urged students to clean and disinfect objects before use.

Funeral arrangements were still being made for Kristen.