Dubuque Student's Deaths Raise Questions

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

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By Katie Wiedemann

Story Created: Mar 11, 2009 at 3:51 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 11, 2009 at 4:58 PM CST

Dubuque - Late last week, two Dubuque high school students died suddenly, each at their own homes.
Health officials say they don't believe these deaths are related.

On Friday 14-year-old Maranda Nelson, A Dubuque Senior High Student died from pneumonia.

Less than 24 hours later another young Dubuque student died.

This time it was 16-year-old Victoria Martin, a Hempstead High School student.
The cause of Martin's death is still unknown.

The sudden deaths initially caused health concerns in the community.
The city's health department says there is *NO public health threat.

Debra Nelson spent last week dealing with three sick kids, including Maranda.
Debra said, "She was sick all last week. Running fevers of 102,103 complaining to me of ear pain, sore throat."

Earlier in the week, Maranda's brother tested positive for Influenza, so the whole family was treated for that illness.
Debra says Maranda was still, sick so she lay down to take a nap.
But she never woke up.

Debra said, "they had found her in her bed."
Soon after, Nelson learned Victoria Martin, another young student died the next day. Nelson wondered if the same illness killed Martin.

Debra said, "It's possible they might have seen each other, but I don't know if they actually knew each other."

Debra describes her daughter as someone who lit up a room. Always laughing, always smiling. She had a passion for purple.
Debra said, "Everything was purple, anything that she could have was purple, she would get purses shirts, anything."

These pictures on a poster board can't tell the story of a vibrant young girl whose life would have been bursting off the page. A life cut short by pneumonia.

Like Debra Nelson, many people worried the two deaths could have somehow been related.
That's why public health officials investigated.

But again, the health department does NOT believe there is cause for public health concern.
Martin's cause of death is still unknown.

A memorial service is underway at this hour for Maranda Nelson in Dubuque.
Victoria Martin's funeral is set for tomorrow in East Moline, Illinois.

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