COVID death of girl, 13, sparks deluge of grief

- A 13-year-old girl's death from COVID-19 at her home in Brampton, Ont., while her mother lay in hospital with the disease sparked an outpouring of grief, anger and community generosity on Monday.

The girl, Emily Viegas, died last Thursday after her father, an essential warehouse worker, reportedly tried to care for her in the family apartment because he worried the overburdened local hospital would transfer her to a facility far from home.

Premier Doug Ford, who has come under scathing criticism for his past refusal to implement paid sick leave for essential workers, expressed condolences for the "terrible loss of this young life." He called it a "heart-wrenching and a devastating reminder" of the what the virus can do.

"My heart breaks for this family," Ford, who is in quarantine after a staffer tested positive, said in a statement. "I can't imagine the unbearable pain and sorrow they are feeling right now."

According to the Globe and Mail newspaper, Emily had for a week been showing symptoms similar to those that had put her mother in hospital with coronavirus disease. Her vaccinated father, the family bread winner, feared the hospital would be unable to treat his daughter and opted to keep her at home – where her brother also lives – and tried to nurse her back to health.

Instead, Emily abruptly took a turn for the worse and became one of the country's youngest pandemic victims.

"It felt real when I found her in bed," Carlos Viegas told the Globe. "I put my head to her chest and I couldn’t feel nothing. No heartbeat. No nothing. No breathing."

Brampton is one of the worst COVID-19 hot spots in Canada due to several workplace outbreaks. Health professionals and labour activists have long argued the province had failed to close down infected workplaces and designate their workers as a vaccination priority.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who planned to raise the tragedy in the House of Commons, said Emily's father did not have paid sick leave.

"Thirteen-year-old Emily did not have to die," Singh said. "We need to make sure there is paid sick leave."

A private member's bill that would have mandated paid sick leave failed in the Ontario legislature on Monday, with Ford's Progressive Conservatives voting it down 55 to 20. Ford said last week that his government would be bringing in a sick-leave policy that would fill "gaps" in a federal benefit.

Several area politicians took to social media to express their condolences, including Patrick Brown, mayor of Brampton, who called Emily's death "beyond heart wrenching."

"As a parent, I am lost for words," he said. "Horrifying. We can never underestimate the seriousness of COVID-19 and the variants."

Similarly, Mayor Bonnie Crombie of neighbouring Mississauga, Ont., called the loss of someone so young to the virus "truly heartbreaking."

Ontario New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath called Emily's death "absolutely gut wrenching."

Gurratan Singh, the provincial NDP representative from Brampton East, said the city was in a pandemic "crisis," with people dying at an alarming rate. Brampton has also lagged in terms of access to vaccines, said Singh, who accused the Ford government of abandoning the city just northwest of Toronto.

In response, Health Minister Christine Elliott said Brampton had received "significant" assistance.

"There is no suggestion that they're receiving any less than they're entitled to," Elliott told the legislature, where a minute of silence was held Monday. "Emily's death is truly a tragedy."

Last week, Ontario's chief coroner Dirk Huyer said more people were dying suddenly at home from COVID-19 without having called for an ambulance. Huyer said it was too soon to explain why that might be happening.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board said it was focusing on supporting staff and students hit by Emily's death.

A crowdfunding initiative to raise money for the stricken family topped more than $73,000, far in excess of its initial $10,000 target.

Adrian Goddard, a friend of Emily's father who organized the fundraiser, said the money would go to pay funeral and burial costs.

"Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult and unfortunate time," Goddard wrote.

Emily's father is also a well-known local ball hockey referee. The Ontario Ball Hockey Association expressed its sympathies.

"We regret to inform you that Carlos Viegas lost his daughter Emily Victoria Viegas to COVID this past week and she was only 13 years old," the association said in a tweet to the ball hockey community.