Family Of Girl Who Died After Choking At Worcester School Program Seeks Answers
WORCESTER (CBS) – The family of a Worcester girl is looking for answers after the 10-year-old choked on a carrot during snack time and died earlier this month.
The uncle of Marilyn Ofobi Korankyewaa says she choked during an after school program at the Belmont Community School earlier this month and later died.
"They were given food, snack," said Ken Asafo-Adjei. "She choked on the food. She was coughing. She ran to the bathroom. One of her friends went in with her. The friend had to rush back to the teachers and complain to them that Marilyn is complaining she's having problems. They did all that they could – CPR and what have you."
Asafo-Adjei said Korankyewaa was rushed to UMass Medical Center but died several days later.
"This is devastating. We are broken. I am broken," said Nadia Nkansah, Korankyewaa's aunt and godmother. "We don't know the cause of it. Some us that have worked in healthcare, you know the signs of choking. Did she express any signs of choking?"
Nkansah said the family has questions about Korankyewaa's death. They want to know how many staff members were on hand, if there was a health professional still in the building during the after school program, and if there is anything else that could have been done.
Asafo-Adjei described Korankyewaa as an enthusiastic and influential child who preached in church and was a "dynamic" student.
WBZ-TV reached out to the school and the city for comment and have not received a response.
