Madisonville child deceased after reported allergic reaction

An 8-year-old Madisonville boy was found unresponsive Friday morning after reportedly having an allergic reaction to strawberries he ate on Thursday.

According to a report from the Madisonville Police Department, the boy had eaten strawberries purchased from a fundraiser for Madisonville North Hopkins High School and Hopkins County Central High School athletics on Thursday. Later in the evening the boy reportedly developed a rash and in response his family gave him Benadryl and a bath, but the allergy symptoms persisted.

His family then took him to the emergency room Thursday night and left early Friday morning. Later in the morning when the family attempted waking the boy for school, he was reportedly not breathing so they transported him to the hospital where he was found to be deceased.

According to the report, the boy was then transported to a medical examiner’s office for an autopsy and a toxicology report. Hospital staff reported that others had come in for treatment after consuming strawberries believed to be from the same fundraiser.

Following the boy’s death, the Hopkins County Health Department made an announcement advising for people who may have purchased strawberries from the fundraiser to not eat them.

After the department’s initial announcement, Forensic Pathologist Christopher Kiefer shared that the boy’s reaction to the strawberries looks like an isolated allergic reaction, but still advises for people who bought strawberries from the fundraiser to not eat them.