Hong Kong domestic helpers seek funds to send daughter’s body to Philippines after she dies of rare disease
Two-year-old died from complications relating to Torch syndrome this week. Her Filipino parents are appealing for money to pay for the repatriation of her body for burial in the Philippines
A Filipino couple living in Hong Kong are seeking funds to help send their two-year-old daughter's body back to the Philippines after the girl died this week from a rare disease.
JB and Warlito Taleon lost Harriet Espanola on January 23 to Torch syndrome, a rare congenital condition. The acronym Torch refers to (T) oxoplasmosis, (O) ther agents, (R) ubella (or German measles), (C) ytomegalovirus, and (H) erpes simplex.
“This is a group of infectious diseases that can cause serious problems in the form of seizures, to organs not developing correctly,” says Harriet Sumner, the grieving couple’s employer, who spoke on their behalf as they were too upset to talk.
The couple and the baby lived with their employers in Pok Fu Lam, working as domestic helpers. JB has worked with the family for seven years, and her husband Warlito for almost four years. Baby Harriet, as she was affectionately known, was named after Sumner, who was also the child’s godmother.
Sumner says the whole family, including her own two boys and daughter, as well as the Pok Fu Lam community, are devastated.