WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Six confirmed cases of E. coli at Galena Elementary School

Six confirmed cases of E. coli at Galena Elementary School

By Shayla Reaves

FLOYDS KNOBS, Ind. (WAVE) -- The health department now says 6-children at Galena Elementary school in Floyd County have E. coli. One parent is outraged that her child was exposed to the bacteria. WAVE 3's Shayla Reaves has her story.

Seeing her 6-year-old daughter in the hospital is hard for Marcia Jacobi to take. The first grader is one of six confirmed E. coli cases at Galena Elementary, according to the Floyd Co. Health Department.

Jacobi said she knew something was wrong when her daughter had bloody diarrhea almost a week ago. She quickly had her tested and diagnosed in about a day.

Jaboci told us her daughter has been in a lot of pain, and the hardest part for her as mother is knowing there is nothing she can do to stop it.

"No child should ever have to endure the stuff she's gone through, " Jacobi said. "All she really says is 'mama my belly hurts.' She just cries out, 'Don't leave me!' And 'My belly hurts!'"

Jacobi says her daughter screams when she goes to the bathroom. "It's just unbearable to listen to her."

Two other children have symptoms of the infection, but according to the health department no new cases have been reported since last week. School administrators still aren't sure of the source, but for added safety they brought in two more custodians over the weekend and cleaned buses, lockers and any surfaces students may have come in contact with during the week.

New-Albany Floyd County Assistant Superintendent. Bill Briscoe said schools are continuing to take precautions. "We're actually stopping and making sure all the kids wash hands because we know it is transmitted orally. So that's one thing we can do."

Galena Elementary parents are expected to get a letter from the health department by Tuesday. In the letter, officials say they're "confident in the safety of the elementary school."

Dr. Stuart Elridge has treated three Galena students. So far, two cases have tested positive for E. coli but besides the infection, he says there's nothing common about the cases.

"Each of my three patients, they all had different eating patterns: one took their lunch every day, one only had a couple times a week, one ate every day. So there has been no evidence that it had anything to do with the food at the school."

Meanwhile, Jacobi hopes her daughter's pain comes to an end soon. "It's horrible. I pray you don't ever have to experience it."

Out of nearly 400 students at Galena, 43 didn't attend school Monday. Briscoe is being understanding of parents' concerns about the situation.

Jacobi said she kept her son home today, and is not sure when she'll feel comfortable enough to send him back with her daughter still in the hospital.

Online Reporter: Shayla Reaves

Online Producer: Michael Dever