Kimora “Kimmie” Lynum died in her sleep on the night of July 17 at the tender age of 9, making her the youngest person in the state of Florida to die of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to First Coast News.
As her family grapples with the unexpected loss of Kimmie, who has been described as being healthy with no preexisting conditions that would make her more at risk, they are also channeling their pain into speaking out against the reopening of schools in the state.
“It hit home, and I think a lot of people out here are not understanding that we have to take this thing seriously,” family spokesperson Dejeon Cain told the news site. “We cannot send our kids to school in the midst of a pandemic, and use them as a pawn. We’ve lost compassion in our state and local governments.”
“[Kimmie] was a happy child, but she didn’t even get to live her life,” he added.
It is still not clear how Kimmie contracted the virus, as it was not travel related, and she was not known to have come into contact with someone who was known to have the virus.
“She was doing good at one point, and all of a sudden she had a situation with a fever,” Cain said.
The family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses.