Mother Says ‘Trust Your Gut’ After Daughter Dies 2 Days After Receiving Routine Vaccinations

Photo credit: News 12 Westchester

Melody Palombi-Malmgren, a 15-month-old girl from New York, died last month from organ failure and cardiac arrest two days after receiving six routine vaccines at a routine well visit.

Katherine Palombi told News12 Westchester her daughter Melody on Oct. 17 received DTaP-Hib-IPV and Varicella vaccines at a routine well-visit at her pediatrician’s office—the Herbert Kania Pediatric Group. Two days later, her daughter stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest.

“It was the most horrible day of my life. I got to work. She waved goodbye to me that morning, and then my mother called, saying she was having trouble breathing. I just kept saying, she just had vaccines, she just had vaccines,” Palombi told News 12.

Although Melody was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital and hospital staff attempted to revive her, she passed away. Hospital records show Melody experienced liver and kidney failure, as well as cardiac arrest. 

Palombi says her daughter was previously hospitalized with a high fever and body rash after receiving her 2-month shots but was told by physicians it was likely a virus and not an allergic reaction to her routine vaccinations.

Palmombi says she now believes vaccines contributed to both instances and were too much for her daughter’s body to handle.

“Trust your gut, and don’t let them push anything on to your children that you don’t want to do,” Palombi warned. “I just want to spread awareness in Melody’s name. Maybe she can save other children.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends up to 11 doses (including the new vaccine for RSV) at a child’s 15-month well-visit. There have been zero clinical studies to determine whether it is safe to co-administer these vaccines, and there’s no way to determine which vaccine causes an adverse event when so many are administered in one setting.

Melody’s story isn’t rare. What is rare is a parent’s willingness to share and a news organization’s willingness to cover it.