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Baby dies from meningitis, possibly caught it from unvaccinated person

CHESTERFIELD, Vir. (KRON/CNN) — Less than 24 hours after showing symptoms, a Virginia baby died from meningitis.

Now, the boy’s parents have a message for others. They want people to get vaccinated.

After health officials revealed the baby may have contracted the disease from an unvaccinated person, 4-month-old Killy Schultz came home from daycare one day with what his parents thought was a benign fever and rash.

Things would quickly change.

Several tests later, the parents were told their baby had likely contracted meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

“The moment they said meningitis, I knew there was a really strong possibility that we were going to lose him,” mother Alexa Dempsey said.

“If anything comes out of this, we want people to be aware that vaccinations can prevent things like this. He was just a baby, so he really didn’t have much of a chance,” Dempsey added.

The family says the Virginia Department of Health is investigating and have been in contact with others who may have been exposed at the daycare.