The father of the 3-year-old boy who was served a grilled cheese sandwich by a Harlem pre-K worker — despite being severely allergic to dairy — says he hopes his son’s death will be a wake-up call for preschools across the country.
“I’m pissed off that this had to happen to my son, but the next thing I don’t want is it to happen to somebody else’s son or daughter,” Thomas Silvera told ABC News.
The distraught dad lost his boy, Elijah, last Friday to anaphylactic shock not long after he ate the sandwich at the Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services on Lenox Avenue.
Instead of calling 911, staff chose to call Elijah’s mother for some reason — wasting several crucial minutes, according to his family.
Silvera told ABC that he believes the Seventh Avenue Center failed to “provide the proper protocol” and ultimately caused his son’s death. He said that something “so simple” like a dairy allergy should have been noted and kept on file.
“[Elijah’s death] could have been avoided,” Silvera explained, adding that the center “pushed” his son’s allergies “to the side.”
The family is now forced to bury the little one, nicknamed “Choo Choo,” on account of his energetic attitude and boisterous behavior.
His older brother, Sebastian, 5, wondered if they could use a rocket ship to bring Elijah back from heaven.
“He was strong. He was a fighter,” Silvera said. “I’m gonna keep fighting for that boy.”