PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Kimora "Kimmie" Lynum is the youngest person to die from COVID-19 complications in Florida. She died on July 17.
She is the fifth minor to die from the virus in the state, according to the latest records from the Florida Department of Health.
Family spokesperson Dejeon Cain told CNN Kimora had no pre-existing health issues and her mother took her to the hospital because she had a high fever. The hospital sent her home and she collapsed a short time later, Cain said.
“No one deserves this, words can’t express that she was just amazing. And she didn’t have a chance to live her life but she was always happy, she was resilient and she just was an outgoing young lady,” her cousin Dejeon Cain said to WCJB.
Cain also told CBS 4 Kimora was her mother's only child and the 9-year-old's father was murdered last month.
"This is like a double whammy," he said. "It was very difficult, we just buried him and now we’re burying her. The family is troubled."
The family told CNN they don't know how Kimora was infected with COVID-19, saying she appeared healthy and spent the summer at home and didn't go to camp or school.
Putnam County Health Officer Mary Garcia confirmed Kimora's death to CNN and told the news outlet she was unaware of any underlying medical issues. WCJB reports records from the county show her case was not travel related.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral arrangements.
As of Saturday, Florida has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases, surpassing New York.
Florida has reported 414,511 cases since March, which is second only to California, which as of Sunday morning reported 445,400 COVID-19 cases. California has a population of about 39.5 million and Florida has a population of 21.4 million, according to Census.gov.
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