LDS Family looses four-year-old to Albany E. coli outbreak (Parents talk about losing daughter to E. coli illness)
(Long Island) NY Newsday (AP) 6Sep99 L5
By Saturday, a week after the fair, Rachel's brain had swelled and

Four-year-old Rachel Aldrich went with her parents Wayne and Lori Aldrich and two-year-old sister Kaylea to the Washington County fair last week, only to get caught in an outbreak of E. coli that sickened 118 people and killed Rachel. Two adults and six other children, including Kaylea remain in the hospital.

The outbreak has been traced to rain water run-off from a cattle barn that is believed to have seeped into an aquifer used to supply the fairgrounds.

Rachel and her sister drank a cup of water after sharing a hot dog on the hot, steamy Saturday at the fair grounds. Within two days both children had fevers, diagnosed by a local doctor as a flu. After nearly a full week, the family ended up taking Rachel to the emergency room, where her illness was identified as hemolytic uremic syndrome. The illness attacks the blood cells and can result in kidney failure.

By Saturday, a week after the fair, Rachel's brain had swelled and caused severe damage. "We still had hope that we could raise her because we loved her so much," said Wayne Aldrich. "Within the course of ten minutes, she lost all response - she was a vegetable." The Aldrich's asked their Bishop to come in and give Rachel a blessing. After they all said goodbye, the life support machines were turned off.

"Lori and I talked and decided it wasn't right for her to live that way," Wayne said. "So now we have Kaylea without a sister. They were best friends." The Aldriches are watching Kaylea's health closely, but despite some setbacks, she seems to be improving. "I get excited about the little things," said Lori. "When she goes to pee, I get excited because that means her kidneys are working well."

"I just hope it doesn't happen to anyone else," Wayne said. "There's a lot of kids here who need a lot of help and I'm praying for them all." The Aldriches haven't decided whether they will take legal action.