2-Year-Old Dies from the Flu: ‘Our Baby Boy Gained His Wings’

New Jersey has reported its first pediatric flu-related death of the season.

In a news release issued Friday, Jan. 9, the New Jersey Department of Health confirmed the death of a child from the northern region of the state. Officials said the child was under 5 years old and had no known underlying medical conditions.

Giselle Castillo identified the child on Facebook as her son, Isaias Castillo IV, sharing a photo and writing, “Our family suffered the biggest loss of our lives. Our baby boy gained his wings and is watching over us with his big beautiful eyes and beautiful soul. Till we meet again mi pedacito.”

Isaias Castillo IV, 2, of Randolph, died Tuesday at Morristown Medical Center. An online obituary said he died at age 2 on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and noted he was born in Livingston on June 11, 2023.

“Baby Isaias loved playing with his dinosaurs and was the light of every room he was in,” the obituary read. “He touched every single one of our hearts with his beautiful smile and unique personality. We will cherish the unconditional love he gave us.”

Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown said in the release, “This flu season is already shaping up to be a very serious one, with more cases than previous years and, tragically, one child’s death this week. We extend our deepest condolences to the child’s family,”

A GoFundMe launched to support the family said Isaias died “due to complications from the flu.”

More broadly, flu activity has been rising across the U.S. More than 7 million flu cases have been reported this season, leading to an estimated 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths, according to recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

New Jersey officials also said they have seen “elevated” flu illness levels, including increases in people seeking care from doctors, emergency departments, and hospitals.

The recent surge has been linked largely to a variant of Influenza A (H3N2) known as “subclade K.” Experts say vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of severe illness. The CDC recommends that “everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season, especially people at higher risk,” per the CDC.

“By getting vaccinated, we can each do our part in reducing the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses in New Jersey and helping prevent serious complications,” Brown said.