Boy who was staying at Chicago migrant shelter died of sepsis, autopsy says

The December death of a Venezuelan boy who had stayed at a Chicago migrant shelter was a result of sepsis from a bacterial infection that causes strep throat, an autopsy report showed.

Jean Carlos Martínez Rivero, 5, died from sepsis after a complication of streptococcus pyogenes, or Group A Strep, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The report also listed COVID-19, adenovirus and rhinovirus as contributing factors to his death.

The boy and his family were living in a migrant shelter converted from a warehouse in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood when he had a medical emergency on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 17, the city has said. Shelter staff called 911 and began administering first aid, including chest compressions, to the child as they waited for emergency responders. Firefighters and paramedics transported Martínez Rivero to Comer Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Sepsis happens when the body overreacts to an existing infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bacterial infections cause most cases of sepsis when left untreated. People with weakened immune systems, as well as people 65 and older and young children, are at greater risk for sepsis.

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"The City of Chicago again expresses our deepest condolences to the family of Jean Carlos Martínez Rivero," a city statement released Saturday said. "This is a tragic loss, and we appreciate the work of community partners supporting the Martínez Rivero family during this difficult time."

His death prompted concerns about conditions for migrants in crowded shelters in Chicago and other cities that have seen thousands of asylum seekers arrive, many on buses sent from Republican states such as Texas. In Chicago, some migrants have been forced to wait outside of police stations and airports as they await shelter.

"The report confirming Jean Carlos Martinez’s cause of death underscores the urgent need for more resources and improved conditions for the newly arrived migrants," U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" Garcia, a Chicago Democrat whose district includes the shelter, said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. "I will continue pushing the Biden administration to provide more funding for cities like Chicago, to ensure that we can provide the care these families need.”

Signs and symptoms for sepsis include high heart rate; fever or shivering; extreme pain or discomfort; confusion or disorientation; and shortness of breath.

Group A Strep is a bacteria commonly found in the respiratory tract and skin, and bacteria are very contagious through droplets and direct contact, the CDC said. It can cause mild illness such as strep throat. In rare cases, it can also cause sepsis, as was the case with Martínez Rivero. There is no vaccine.

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Chicago city officials said the boy's family arrived in Chicago on Nov. 30. That day, the family was placed in the shelter, located in the shadow of the Dan Ryan Expressway in an industrial area of Pilsen, a historic Latino immigrant neighborhood southwest of Chicago's loop.

A GoFundMe helping Martínez Rivero's parents and his 2-year-old brother said the family, which is seeking asylum in the U.S., recently found housing. The younger son is set to be placed in day care.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.