E. Coli claims Hendricks Co. 5 yr. old

DANVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - “Kalei was a young lady that was shimmering with life,” the family’s pastor Pastor Marc Monte said. “She had just, a couple weeks ago, turned 5-years-old.”

Kalei Welch was hit with flu-like symptoms about a week ago. They became so bad that her parents, Beth and Ben, brought her to the hospital.

“I had actually visited early in the week, and she was very responsive, sitting up in bed, not talkative or active like a 5-year-old child would be, but she looked like she was headed at least in the right direction,” Monte said.

But Kalei’s condition worsened.

“Everything bad that could happen did happen,” Monte recalled.

Kalei died Thursday.

Now the Hendricks County Health Department is tracing the Danville girl's steps, looking closely at the week before she fell ill, including a day at the Hendricks County Fair.

One doctor said E. coli numbers increase around fair time because of people's exposure to farm animals while there.

The young, he said, are the most susceptible.

“They have more habits that allow them to transmit it; getting their hands dirty and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes,” said Dr. Jason Little, a Pediatric ER Physician at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital.

The health department is still working to determine with more certainty where Kalei picked up the bacteria.

The fairgrounds are only one possibility.

In the meantime, Dr. Little said parents should watch for those flu-like symptoms and take preventative measures, especially hand washing.

The viewing for Kalei Welch will be held Monday, August 1, from 5-7 p.m. at the Faith Baptist Church in Avon. A service will follow.

A burial for family only will be held Tuesday.