A Tragic Death
Kimora “Kimmie” Lynum, 9, seemed to be a healthy child with no underlying health conditions, according to her cousin, Bishop Dejeon Cain. She was an outgoing girl with a memorable smile.
“She was incredible, and it’s a tragic loss,” Cain said.
Kimora died on July 17th. Florida’s youngest Covid-19 victim.
Her family said she started experiencing symptoms on July 11th. Days later, her mother reported her temperature was 103 degrees, and she suffered from stomach pains. The local hospital administered a urine test but did not test her for Covid-19. She was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection before being sent home.
Her family went shopping a few days later. When they returned home, Kimora took a nap but never woke up.
“I was shaking her, yelling at her. I yelled at my mom and told her to come in here because Kim is not breathing,” her mother, Mikasha Young-Holmes, explained.
Kimora’s grandmother, Mashell Atkins, attempted CPR.
“I was just trying to bring her back. I tried, I tried everything I could to bring her back,” Atkins said.
An ambulance transported Kimora and her family to the hospital, where she died.
Kimora tested positive for Covid-19 after passing away. Her mother says she stayed home all summer and had no interaction with anyone that was known to have the virus.
Preventing More Covid-19 Deaths
Cain, Kimora’s cousin, wants Governor Ron Desantis, to reconsider the opening of schools in the fall.
“The governor needs to be honest with people, by not being honest, it puts everyone at risk, and we can’t use our children as pawns and put them out there to die,” he said. “Kimmie was a beautiful soul who couldn’t live her life, and if we don’t get control of this, we’ll have more of this in the state.”
Putnam County school district superintendent, Richard Surrency, says that they’ve reached out to the family but are still planning to reopen the schools on August 24th. They will have staff performing extra cleaning to make sure the school is sanitized.
The family is still grieving another death. Kimora’s dad, Theophilus Lynum, was shot and killed in April of this year. No arrests were made.
A GoFundMe is available to help the family cover funeral expenses.