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The mothers of two girls who died after receiving the Gardasil human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are suing Merck.
Lawyers from Wisner Baum on Feb. 16 filed two new wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of the mother of 10-year-old Isabella Zuggi and the mother of 14-year-old Sydney Figueroa.
Both mothers contend the HPV vaccine caused serious autoimmune and neurological dysfunction, ultimately resulting in the deaths of their daughters, according to a press release.
Isabella Zuggi was 10 years old when she received her first and only Gardasil injection on Aug. 26, 2022.
According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Isabella was a happy, healthy girl with no major health issues before she got the Gardasil vaccine. She loved reading, especially the Harry Potter series.
Two weeks after the shot, Isabella developed headaches, lethargy, stomach pains, body aches and intermittent fevers. Doctors diagnosed her with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies.
MOG antibody disorders are acute, inflammatory, demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.
According to the complaint, MOG antibody-related autoimmunity has been reported after several vaccines, including Gardasil. According to studies, Gardasil is “among the most commonly reported vaccinations linked to central nervous system demyelination.”
Isabella died Nov. 5, 2022. The cause of death was listed as acute encephalitis associated with anti-MOG antibody production. Research has repeatedly linked acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with the HPV vaccine.
Isabella’s mother, Kristine, said that if she knew that Gardasil could hurt her child, she never would have consented for Isabella to receive the vaccine.
“My daughter could light up a room with her wonderful sense of humor and her loving, creative spirit,” said Kristine. “But that light started to dim from the moment she received the Gardasil injection.”
She added:
“No one told me that the pain and suffering Izzy endured before she died was possible. But I am here to tell you that it is possible, and it’s shameful that a mother who lost her daughter has to warn people about the dangers of this vaccine, while the company that makes it is trying to keep those dangers a secret.”
‘Gardasil destroyed my daughter’s life’
Sydney Figueroa received two Gardasil shots, the first at age 11 and the second at 12. Before the vaccine, she excelled academically and athletically. She participated in soccer, track and field, and played in her school’s band.
After Gardasil, Sydney experienced multiple debilitating side effects, including headaches, brain fog, rapid heart rate, excruciating nerve pain and an inability to swallow, which ultimately required a feeding tube.
Sydney was confined to a wheelchair and required full-time care. Doctors diagnosed her with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Tourette syndrome and functional neurological disorder.
Sydney died on June 2, 2021, at the age of 14, from a pulmonary embolism directly attributable to prolonged immobility related to her autoimmune diseases, which were triggered by Gardasil.
A lawsuit filed on her behalf alleges that Julie Gerberding, then the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “obligingly ushered the Gardasil vaccine through CDC’s regulatory process, manifestly ignoring clear evidence that Gardasil’s efficacy was unproven and that the vaccine was potentially dangerous.”
“Gardasil destroyed my daughter’s life,” said Lynne Guzman, Sydney’s mother. “She fought for as long as she could but the injuries she suffered, ultimately, killed her. If I knew what I know now, I never would have let Sydney get the shots.”
Isabella’s and Sydney’s cases will become part of the Gardasil multidistrict litigation, where over 150 similar cases are pending.
“The senseless deaths of these two beautiful young girls bring home the seriousness of the allegations against Merck in these cases — that the company has exaggerated the benefits of Gardasil as cancer preventative and ignored the risks, including death — all for the sake of the company’s bottom line,” said Wisner Baum attorney, Monique Alarcon.
If you or your child suffered harm after receiving the Gardasil HPV vaccine, you may have a legal claim. Visit Wisner Baum for a free case evaluation.
Watch CHD.TV’s interview with Isabella’s mother:
