Protection against the H1N1 virus is now available in Kern County. But, it came too late for a South Bakersfield woman who was the mother of four children. A school counselor contacted 17 News looking for help for a young family left all alone.
Maria Vasquez, 21, took her in Mother in with a fever started after she started coughing brown phlegm with a fever. Maria Palacios, 37, had been in the hospital before. Diagnosed with hepatitis, this time it was pneumonia that brought her to the emergency room. Her daughter says the doctor told her to call her family, she wasn't going to make it.
Maria Palacios became the first person in Kern County to die from the H1N1 virus leaving 21 year old Maria Vasquez alone to care for her three siblings and daughter in this tiny South Bakersfield home. She has a full time job but the burden of taking care of the emotional and physical needs is starting to take its toll on the entire family.
Eduardo, at nine years old, is now the man of the house. He says his sister has really been helping since his Mom died. Maria's employer gave her vacation and sick leave. She is going to pay for the rent for this month. But, she still has car payments, bills and food for this month.
Employees at Giumarra Vineyards has been extremely supportive, advancing her monies needed and time off to deal with her personal tragedy. Employees even collected the money need to bury her mother but they could not afford to purchase the headstone.
Through it all Maria is handling the pressures of her new responsibility but is running into road blocks when it comes to keeping a promise to her mother.
Maria says, "she's like I want you to stay in that apartment, it's big enough for you guys, and don't let anyone take you guys apart. I have family that is telling us if for any reason they don't want me to take over they would do it, but they're my sisters and my brothers. I told her I would do it."
By law, in order to obtain guardianship Maria's biological father must sign off the rights to his children, but the father who is a citizen of Mexico hasn't been seen for years and was never a part of their family. She tried to apply for guardianship but, at a cost of nearly 300 dollars to apply, she was unable to proceed so Maria came to Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance for help.
A lot of challenges caregivers face is just the court process itself. There's a lot of paperwork as in any other court case and if there's no help for them to do that a lot of people have issues getting into court.
Without the guardianship Maria would be unable to seek medical care for the children, counseling and even enroll the kids in school. Her greatest fear is not being able to take advantage of welfare because she works full time.
Maria's attorney is taking advantage of a First Five provision that will allow her to receive some government assistance because one of the children is under the age of five.
An account has been set up for the children of Maria Palacios at the Kern Schools Federal Credit Union. If you would like to help this family you can go to any Kern Schools branch. The account number is 3267710.
