Texas funeral becomes a super spreader event after 100 people pack into the pews and remove masks to pose for photos leaving 42 family members infected with COVID-19
A Texas woman who weeks ago buried her 92-year-old mother said that she and around 40 other people contracted COVID-19 after the indoor funeral was attended by more than 100 mourners, making it a ‘superspreader event.’
The large group of funeral-goers gathered at the Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors home in Hillsboro on November 8 to pay their respects to Nancy Sue Kaddatz, who had died just three days prior.
Video of the funeral was live-streamed on Facebook.
It showed scores of people tightly packed together. While most of the people inside wore face masks, they also failed to observe social distancing measures.
More than 100 people gathered at the Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors home in Hillsboro, Texas, on November 8
Delynda Cruz of Hill County, Texas, says at least 42 people, including herself, contracted COVID-19 at the funeral, which became a 'superspreader event'
Cruz said the mourners gathered at the funeral of her 92-year-old mother, Nancy Sue Kaddatz
Kaddatz died on November 5. She is seen above with her daughter, Cruz
DailyMail.com spoke to a representative of the funeral home, who declined comment.
Kaddatz’s daughter, Delynda Cruz, told KDFW-TV that two days after the funeral, she started feeling ill.
‘I got chills on Tuesday night, and then Wednesday morning I ran a little bit of a fever,’ she said.
Cruz revealed that at least 42 other people who attended the funeral were also infected with COVID-19. They range in ages from three to 90 years old.
‘Because of that, we definitely want other people to learn from what we didn’t know was a mistake,’ Cruz said.
Cruz said that while most people wore masks, they were not socially distanced. On several occasions, people took off their masks to pose for photographs. Cruz said at least 12 people in the above photo tested positive for COVID-19
Cruz is seen second from right posing with relatives. She said that one relative, a cousin who is not photographed, is 'fighting for his life'
She added: ‘It was frightening knowing that I could’ve been the one that gave my 90-year old aunt COVID-19.
‘Or I could’ve been the one that gave the 3-year-old, or I could’ve been the one that gave my cousin that’s fighting for his life.’
Local regulations allow for funeral homes to operate at 75 per cent capacity.
Hill County Judge Justin Lewis told KDFW-TV that he recommends residents not take part in indoor funeral services.
He said he would have a ‘constructive conversation’ with the funeral home.
Cruz said that while most people at the funeral wore masks, some of them took off their face coverings to pose for photographs.
She revealed that in one specific photograph, some 30 family members and friends are seen posing together. None of them are wearing masks.
Cruz said that 12 people pictured in that photograph contracted COVID-19.
She is now urging the public to learn from her family’s mistake.
‘Do your gathering outside,’ she said.
‘This has been a real emotional toll, Cruz added. ‘Today I feel like I can’t get much air. I’m exhausted, fatigued.’
She added: ‘All of us have been sick. Seriously sick.’
The Texas Department of State Health Services has been in contact with some of the family members as part of an effort to do contract-tracing.