Carsyn Leigh Davis, a 17-year-old from Florida, died last month after contracting COVID-19 at a large church event. According to the Washington Post, Davis previously battled cancer and a rare autoimmune disorder, putting her in a high-risk category for complications related to the virus.
While the news was undoubtedly heartbreaking for the family and community, new details about the teen’s untimely death are now fueling anger at the teen’s parents for not being more cautious given her high-risk status.
A report released by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner shows that Carsyn’s parents let their daughter attend a 100-person church party in mid-June, using no CDC recommended precautions such as masks or social distancing. After contracting the virus and getting sick, they waited a week before taking her to the hospital.
As Carsyn’s parents, who are reportedly a nurse and a physician’s assistant, waited to take their daughter to the hospital, they attempted to treat her with azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine. The latter drug, praised by Donald Trump, has been discredited by the Food and Drug Administration and discovered to put patients at higher risk "of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, including blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure."
People online, including medical professionals, are now criticizing the actions of Davis’ family. Florida data scientist Rebekah Jones, while sharing details of the teen’s death online, posted screenshots of Carole Brunton Davis’ Facebook account on Twitter. The screenshots show Brunton Davis, Carsyn’s mother, spreading anti-mask views.
When Carsyn’s parents eventually took her to the hospital, she was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit where her parents declined to have her intubated. Carysn then died two days after her 17th birthday, on June 23.
