[StBernard] DHH: no public health threat linked to St. Bernard child's death

[Westley Annis]

DHH: no public health threat linked to St. Bernard child's death

Print Story Published: 5:01 pm Share Updated: 5:18 pm 
Baton Rouge -- The death of a St. Bernard 7th grader prompts state health
workers to open an investigation.

The Department of Health and Hospitals tells FOX 8 that its investigation
has turned up no concerns of a public health threat.

St. Bernard School Superintendent Doris Voitier says the little girl's
mother called last Friday to report her daughter was sick.  The 12-year-old
girl died over the weekend.

Voitier began looking into the matter when she was told the child had passed
away.  She says she's ruled out food poisoning from the school, because 500
other kids ate the same lunch the little girl had and no one else has gotten
sick.  She also says the absentee list has been normal, indicating there has
not been an outbreak of any kind of virus or flu.

DHH spokeswoman Lisa Faust says the Orleans Parish coroner is handling an
autopsy of the child.