Subic resort may face lawsuit after kid dies from jellyfish sting
Kiera Maningding’s lower body after the jellyfish stinging incident at a beach resort inside the Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone last month which led to her death. (Contributed photo)
A beach resort inside the Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone is facing the possibility of a lawsuit from the family of a five-year old child who died after getting stung by a jellyfish while swimming at the commercial establishment late last month.
Jahaziel Michaellie Maningding on Monday said they plan to take to court the All Hands Beach resort in San Bernardo, Olongapo City for negligence which led to the death of her daughter, Kiera, who was stung by jellyfish while swimming at the beach shore last June 28.
“Yes, but we are still making arrangements on who will handle the case,” Maningding said in a message sent to the Inquirer.
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Maningding said that there were no warnings, verbal or otherwise, that there was danger of jellyfish attacks when they went to swim at the resort when there were already incidents recently reported.
The mother said that resort staff and a bystander was able to administer first aid by pouring vinegar on the child’s legs which had been stung by the jellyfish
She added that the resort was also ill-prepared in handling the life-threatening medical emergency, with no available vehicle to take her daughter to the hospital at that moment.
The child still made it to the Allied CareExperts Medical Center-Baypointe with the help of another resort-goer, according to Maningding.
Kiera was intubated at the medical facility but ultimately succumbed to anaphylaxis or severe allergic reaction, according to medical diagnosis.
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Lawyer Josefina Buena, the legal counsel of All Hands Beach, disputed the account of Maningding that the resort has no vehicle for such emergencies.
“All Hands (Beach) has a vehicle and a driver but was away at the time taking care of other things,” Buena said in a radio interview.
“So what happened [was] there was a guest that was leaving [the resort], so we found another way so we can bring the child to the hospital,” she also said.
Buena also said that the incident was an “isolated case,” highlighting that they do clearing operations of jellyfishes in the swimming area.
“This is just an isolated case. Not all of the people who swim have been stung by a jellyfish. But, as we say, accidents do happen and no one wanted this to happen,” she said.
