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Father devastated after 4-year-old daughter dies of flu, pneumonia

Posted at 5:21 PM, Feb 05, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-05 19:21:50-05

GARLAND, Texas – A heartbroken Texas father is talking about his daughter’s death to warn other parents about the dangers of the flu and pneumonia in children.

Martel Grinage told WFAA that his 4-year-old daughter, Ashanti, developed a high fever and her mother took her to the emergency room.

“On Tuesday when she went to the doctor, she had pneumonia, and we didn’t know,” Grinage told WFAA.

Doctors diagnosed Ashanti, who hadn’t received the flu vaccine, with type A influenza, KDFW reports.

Ashanti went home, and her fever eventually started to subside, Grinage said – but she had a cough that wouldn’t go away.

Two days later, Ashanti’s mother decided to take her back to the hospital after noticing the 4-year-old coughing up mucus and acting lethargically.

Grinage said that his daughter’s vital signs were already growing weak when they got to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall. Despite efforts to save her life, Ashanti died at the hospital.

Doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia, and Grinage said he wishes he could have asked them to check during their first visit.

“See, I feel like I failed because I’m not even 30 yet, and I’m about to bury my little girl,” Grinage said. “That was my best friend. She was only four, but that was my best friend.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been created to raise money for funeral costs.