Parents of Texas girl who died from measles still wouldn't vaccinate
FILE-A vaccine for measles is prepared by a health professional (Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
GAINES COUNTY, Texas - The parents of an unvaccinated 6-year-old Texas girl who died from measles said they would still urge parents not to vaccinate their children during an interview with an anti-vaccination organization last week.
What they're saying:
The couple did an interview with Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccination nonprofit that was formerly chaired by current United States Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple was asked what they would say to parents who are now deciding to get their children vaccinated.
"She says that they would still say, ‘Don't do the shots,' a translator for the family said. "They're not as bad as they're making it out to be."
The girl's parents are members of the Mennonite community in Gaines County, Texas and spoke both English and Low German during the interview.
READ MORE: Who are the Mennonites? Texas measles outbreak impacts community
"They think that it's not as bad as the media is making it out to be," the translator said. "And it was her time on Earth. They believe she's better off where she is now versus all the negativity and all the stuff going on. They think she was too good for this Earth."
The couple told CHD that they took their daughter to the hospital in Lubbock after her fever kept climbing, and she was having trouble breathing.
They said the girl was moved to the ICU and later, intubated. The girl died on Feb. 26, according to a release from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The couple has four other children who they said all got measles after their daughter died.
They said all four were treated by Dr. Ben Edwards in Lubbock with inhaled steroid breathing treatments and vitamins.
"The measles are good for the body," the father said, claiming the disease helps a person's immune system.
The family said they had received an outpouring of support since their daughter's death.
"God does no wrong, and he wanted this to wake people up," the father said.
2025 Texas measles outbreak
By the numbers:
Gaines County is the epicenter of the current measles outbreak in Texas.
As of Monday, 327 cases have been reported in the state. Of those cases, 226 have been reported in Gaines County.
The current outbreak has resulted in 40 hospitalizations. The 6-year-old girl is the state's only reported death.
READ MORE: Texas measles outbreak 2025: 18 new cases reported in West Texas
All but two of the state's cases have been among those who were not vaccinated.
Outside the outbreak in West Texas, eight cases have been reported across the state connected to international travel.
What is measles?
Why you should care:
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
Measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
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Illness onset (high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes) begins a week or two after someone is exposed. A few days later, the telltale rash breaks out as flat, red spots on the face and then spreads down the neck and trunk to the rest of the body.
A person is contagious about four days before the rash appears to four days after. People with measles should stay home from work or school during that period.
Symptoms of Measles
Common symptoms of measles include:
- High fever (as high as 105°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red and watery eyes
- Tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth 2-3 days after symptoms begin
- Rash 3-5 days after other signs of illness. The "measles rash" typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.
The disease can also bring complications and most deaths from measles are from complications related to the disease.
Complications can include:
- blindness
- encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage)
- severe diarrhea and related dehydration
- ear infections
- severe breathing problems including pneumonia.
How to prevent getting measles
Big picture view:
Health officials say the best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.
READ MORE: Measles vaccination rates in Texas: Find your school district.
Some vaccinated people can occasionally develop measles; however, they generally experience milder symptoms and are less likely to spread the disease to other people.
Who is Children’s Health Defense?
Dig deeper:
Children’s Health Defense is a nonprofit that was founded as the World Mercury Project.
In 2015, now-Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy, Jr. joined the group and is listed as the group’s founder and former chairman. Kennedy stepped down from the role before he decided to run for president in 2023.
According to their website, their mission is to end childhood health epidemics by eliminating toxic exposure.
The group is mainly known for its anti-vaccine stances and its support for the long-debunked false claim that vaccines cause autism.
The Source: Information on the 6-year-old girl's death comes from an interview between the parents and Children's Health Defense and posted on the nonprofit's website. Information on measles prevention and complications comes from the Texas Department of State Health Services.