A 13-year-old girl from Georgia, who was hospitalized over the weekend after collapsing, died of leukemia early Monday morning less than 12 hours later.
Julia Chavez originally went to a local urgent care facility over the weekend and was prescribed antibiotics for an ear infection and headache, according to WSBTV. She later collapsed Sunday and was immediately taken to the hospital. Additional testing revealed she was suffering from leukemia.
Julia Chavez’s family are devastated by the sudden loss of the 13-year-old Harlem Middle student to leukemia. https://t.co/3wvuD2nKtd
— Augusta Chronicle (@AUG_Chronicle) February 15, 2023
“We never knew she had it,” Chavez’s mother Jenna Randall said, according to The Augusta Chronicle. “She was a bubbly, bright, beautiful girl. She never had more than a sniffle and she’s never been hospitalized for anything since she was born.”
Chavez’s father Dennis said she suffered from internal bleeding, WSBTV reported.
“She had bleeding in her brain, lungs, stomach … everywhere,” he said. “That’s where we found out she had leukemia. It came on so hard and so fast. Doctors told us there was no way we could have known.” (RELATED: Teen Accidentally Helps Raise Thousands Of Dollars For Child With Leukemia)
The only symptom Chavez ever had was occasional bruising, according to WSBTV, but her family never suspected anything, attributing it to her lifestyle.
“Julia was the kindest, most big-hearted child I think I’ve ever met, even her speaking voice was sweet,” Chavez’s teacher Caroline Pinkston said, according to WSBTV. “She would talk to anyone and make them feel friended.”