A 7-year-old boy died in his mother’s arms yesterday morning after he mysteriously stopped breathing only days after being released from the hospital following a tonsillectomy.
“His birthday is next month. We were going to celebrate,” said Adelaida Jimenez of Bushwick, sobbing as she clutched a brand-new pair of roller skate-sneakers, still in the box and bag. Her son, Gabriel Vega, will never get to play with them, and the family is pointing the finger at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary for releasing him too soon.
Jimenez said she told doctors that even before Gabriel’s surgery Friday, the asthmatic boy had problems breathing at night.
She said they wanted to release him the day of the operation, but she forced the hospital to keep him overnight for observation.
“I said my baby turns colors when he’s sleeping,” said Jimenez, 47, wiping tears from her face.
A hospital spokeswoman declined to comment.