And also down south, in Santa Cruz a baby girl died in her mother's arms at their home. It happened yesterday afternoon. Little Ofelia's mother says she just started with a terrible fever and cough and then she was dead. Courtney Weatherburne has the story.
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
1 year old baby girl Ofelia Na suddenly fell ill and died inside her parents thatch house in Santa Cruz.
Baby Ofelia's mom, Hilaria Na was home alone with her baby when she died. Na says her baby had high fever from Sunday night.
Hilaria Na, Mother
"She had fever and flu from the night, she coughed a lot, every minute she was coughing."
The baby got some relief yesterday morning but later around midday, she was burning up again. Na's son ran for help but it was too late.
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"The little biy ran and touched me."
Reporter
"One of her son's?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"Yes. And he told me that he wanted to me to get a ride, because his little sister had died. I couldn't do anything in a rush and I have to run about 200 yards to see what had happened. So after when I came in the house, I saw the father has his baby in his arms and I ask if the baby had died and he told me yes, the baby has already die."
Reporter
"The father wasn't home at the time. He just came to find his baby dead. Only the baby's mom was here at the time?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"He was not here. He was working in Mayacan, by Kanantic road. He does logging there and they gave him a call and he rushed to come here."
The Na's and the entire community were powerless.
Reporter
"Nobody here knows any of the neighbors or any of you all have a vehicle?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"None of us have vehicles back here."
Reporter
"There is no clinic around or hospital?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"There is no clinic around here, no hospital, nothing. It's just us who lives here. We have to go get a private ride and it's very expensive and when you don't have money, it's very rough."
Reporter
"The closest hospital you have is in Dangriga?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"Yes."
Reporter
"That's still a distance away?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"Yes, a good distance away."
Reporter
"Back here if you don't have the money, if you don't have a vehicle and you are sick, then there is nothing you can do about it."
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"There is nothing."
It is a dire situation in this remote village on the southern highway. And what is even more tragic is that little Ofelia isn't the only baby who has died due to similar circumstances.
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"This is not the first baby, a lot of baby's died in Santa Cruz."
Reporter
"How many babies you would say and recently?"
Jose Tzir, Family Friend
"They have a good amount."
Too many to count, and now this couple joins the band of grieving parents.
This is the second child the Na family has lost due to sickness. When we spoke to the family this evening, they said they hadn't spoken to the doctors as yet and are not sure exactly what caused the baby's death. As you heard, Santa Cruz is in need of a clinic or health facility closer to their village.
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