A suspected E. coli outbreak at Hildale, a polygamous community in Utah, may have something to do with the deaths of at least two children in the past few weeks, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
The Southwest Utah Public Health Department is investigating the outbreak, but it does not know the number of the cases involved, said department spokesman David Heaton.
"All the water testing we've done in Hildale has been clean, so we're focusing all our efforts on contaminated food or exposure to animals," Heaton told the Tribune. "We are focusing on a contained area ... at one location."
Hildale and Colorado City, Ariz. — known together as Short Creek — have been home to members of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints for decades, noted the Tribune.
Heaton declined to release details, including the address of the location in question, citing the ongoing investigation.
One of the victims was identified by her parents as Gabriella Fullerton, 6, according to KSTU-TV. Her parents said she died of kidney failure as a result of E. coli.
They also said a young boy who is close friends with Gabriella and who lives in their housing complex died, too, but was not identified.
"Our entire family and all of our friends are completely devastated at the loss of our little Gabriella," the family told KSTU-TV. "The family would like to thank everyone for the prayers, love, support, and donations from everyone. While we are grieving this tremendous loss we are trying to make sure that this does not happen to another child. Our hearts are also with the other child's family."
E. coli, or Escherichia coli, is bacteria that normally lives in the intestines of people and animals, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most E. coli are harmless some are pathogenic, meaning they can cause illness, either diarrhea or illness outside of the intestinal tract.
The types of E. coli that can cause diarrhea can be transmitted through contaminated water or food, or through contact with animals or persons, said the CDC.
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