The parents of a nine-year-old boy who tragically died after collapsing while on holiday with family in Egypt have uncovered the devastating truth about his cause of death.
Mattia Cossenttini was visiting the Egyptian resort town of Marsa Alam with his younger brother and their parents when tragedy struck on January 5. The family were enjoying a week long break at the resort and were on a boat trip when Mattia suddenly collapsed.
After he regained consciousness, the child then complained about a severe headache. His panicked parents took him to the medical staff at the resort. Mattia was placed on an IV drip and diagnosed with heatsroke, The Mirror reports.
He was given various medications and was later sent to his room. However, his condition worsened during the night as he began experiencing vomiting, headaches and seizures, so he was taken to A&E. He was pronounced dead in the early hours of January 6.
According to Egyptian newspaper Ahram, the Red Sea Health Directorate announced on Friday that Mattia suffered from a pre-existing brain tumour that was exacerbated by pneumonia, which ultimately led to complete cardiac arrest on Monday. The directorate said that Mattia arrived at the Marsa Alam One-Day Surgery Hospital in a critical condition, which was described as “a state of complete unconsciousness and clinical death.”
A CT scan was conducted at the hospital, revealing a brain haemorrhage caused by the tumour, Ahram reported. The newspaper said medical teams worked to drain fluid from the child’s airways and performed several attempts at cardiac resuscitation, which were unsuccessful, and Mattia tragically passed away. The directorate wrote in a statement shared on Facebook: “The death was caused by complications from a brain tumour, which the child had already been suffering from before travelling to Egypt.
Italian news agency Ansa reported that local authorities have opened an investigation into the death of the boy to determine its cause and possible delays in diagnosis and treatment. After his son passed away, Mattia’s dad Marco told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “Mattia had gone into a coma. We’re waiting to understand more.”
The heartbroken 41-year-old dad-of-two said of the schoolboy, who had turned nine on December 23: “My son has always been in great health. I can only say that he was perfectly fine until he fainted.” Today, Il Messaggero reported that Mattia’s family, who don’t want to make any statements on the case, were not aware of any pre-existing health conditions such as a brain tumour.
Lawyer Maria Virginia Maccari, who is assisting the family, confirmed they have returned to their hometown of Tricesimo in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy, and are now awaiting the return of Mattia’s body. The attorney said in a statement to Italian media: “The parents returned to Italy late yesterday evening and are awaiting the return of the body, which has not yet been arranged by the Egyptian authorities. In this delicate phase, out of respect for the family and their privacy and that of the very young victim, we will not release any comment.”
Mattia shared his dad’s passion for firefighting and also loved the environment. Back in November, in an electoral appeal addressed to his peers while standing for the Youth Council, he said he wished his town was cleaner and that people respected the environment more, highlighting the need for “more garbage bins along the streets and sanitary bags for animals.”
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