Parents of Texas girl, 6 – who died of measles stand by decision to not vaccinate her

Texas Child Dies from Measles as Parents Stand by Anti-Vaccine Beliefs
A six-year-old girl from a Mennonite community in West Texas succumbed to measles-related complications in late February after battling the illness for three weeks, according to The Mirror.

Despite the tragic loss, her parents publicly defended their decision not to vaccinate their daughter. In a recorded interview released on March 17 by Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization, the couple minimized the severity of the disease, insisting that measles was “not that bad” and describing their daughter’s passing as simply “her time.” The girl’s mother further stated that “she was too good for this earth.”

Parents Reject Vaccination in Favor of Alternative Remedies
The parents affirmed they would never consider the MMR vaccine, which provides protection against measles, mumps, and rubella. Instead, they credited castor oil and inhaled steroids with aiding the swift recovery of their four other children, who also contracted measles. “The measles wasn’t that bad. They got over it pretty quickly,” the mother asserted.

However, their daughter Kaylee’s condition deteriorated significantly. After experiencing several days of illness and exhaustion, she developed severe breathing difficulties, prompting her parents to rush her to Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock. She was intubated but ultimately passed away from pneumonia, a well-documented complication of measles.

Her death is the first measles-related fatality in the United States in a decade, as reported by the Associated Press. Following this tragedy, her siblings also contracted the virus.

Medical Experts Warn Against Misinformation
In the interview, Kaylee’s father asserted that measles benefit the body and even suggested that contracting the virus reduces the risk of cancer—claims that medical professionals strongly refute.

Dr. Jay K. Varma, a pediatric infectious disease expert, dismissed these beliefs as false and dangerous. “None of that is true,” he told PEOPLE. “Measles do not benefit the human body in any way. Instead, they put children in grave danger, as seen in this heartbreaking case.” He further warned that measles weakens the immune system, leaving children vulnerable to other infections for years after contracting the disease.

Dr. Varma also highlighted subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) as a potential long-term consequence of measles. This rare yet devastating neurological disorder typically manifests years after the initial infection, causing progressive brain damage and, ultimately, death.

Additionally, he explained that measles can directly lead to pneumonia or set the stage for secondary bacterial infections, which can be life-threatening. “Children with measles can appear to be recovering but later develop pneumonia, either from the virus itself or from a secondary bacterial infection. Regardless, this entire scenario is preventable through vaccination,” he emphasized.

Ineffectiveness of Home Remedies and Misconceptions About Treatment
The parents expressed confusion over why their daughter did not receive the same breathing treatments as her siblings, who were given inhaled steroids and seemed to recover more easily. However, Dr. Varma made it clear that such treatments offer no proven benefit for measles patients. “There is no scientific evidence that inhaled steroids or beta agonists like albuterol improve outcomes in measles cases,” he clarified. Instead, he suggested that the surviving children likely experienced milder infections rather than benefiting from alternative therapies.

The discussion also touched on natural supplements such as vitamin A and cod liver oil, which some claim can alleviate measles symptoms. While medically supervised vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of severe complications in malnourished children, Dr. Varma warned against assuming it to be a cure-all. “Vitamin A, when administered appropriately, may decrease—but not eliminate—the risk of severe disease and death. However, excessive intake can accumulate in the body, leading to liver damage, central nervous system issues, and skin disorders,” he cautioned.

As for cod liver oil, Dr. Varma dismissed it outright, stating that there is no evidence to support its effectiveness in combating measles. “Providing a supplement with unregulated components is unlikely to offer any medical benefit,” he concluded.

Vaccination: The Proven Solution
The girl’s mother mentioned that she may have been vaccinated as a child, yet still exhibited symptoms of measles. Dr. Varma acknowledged that this is possible, particularly for individuals who received only a single vaccine dose rather than the two-dose regimen. However, he noted that vaccinated individuals tend to experience much milder cases than those who remain unvaccinated.

Ultimately, his message was clear: vaccines are safe, effective, and lifesaving. “We have used the measles vaccine for over 60 years. It is highly effective and prevents tragic outcomes like this one,” he emphasized.

He also linked misinformation to declining vaccination rates, which have contributed to large outbreaks, including the current one in West Texas. “We have already lost a child in this outbreak, and an adult has died in New Mexico. Both deaths were entirely preventable,” he stated.

“Measles should not be causing fatalities in the United States in 2025. These tragedies were avoidable, and vaccination remains the best protection against this disease.”