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Sheila Sinai Escobar Puente, a girl from Santiago de Cuba who was only one year old and was in critical condition following alleged medical negligence at the Juan de la Cruz Martínez Maceira Pediatric Hospital (the ONDI), sadly passed away.
"My beautiful niece, I don’t have words to describe the pain in my heart. I didn’t get to know you in person, to hug you, or to hold you like I did with your brother. Only God knows the sorrow I carry in my heart. My sweetest little angel, you went to heaven and left a great pain in our hearts," wrote her aunt Lismay Arianna Puente in a heartbreaking social media post.
"May God help my sister and your father to find strength and seek justice for your departure, and may those responsible for your death pay for this crime. May God keep you in a beautiful place, my beautiful baby. Forever in my heart. Rest in peace,” she added.
"And what if they had done the right thing?"
Sheila's family is not only experiencing the grief of an irreparable loss, but they are also demanding justice: a thorough investigation into what happened and accountability.
Ricardo Puente Rizo, identified as the grandfather of the minor, publicly questioned the medical decisions made at the time of the girl's admission.
"I only have one question that no one answers: if they had used saline solution to hydrate her instead of a 30% dextrose, would my granddaughter have reached a critical state that caused her diabetic ketoacidosis, with blood sugar levels at 34?"
His question is shared by other family members, who recount in detail what they consider to be a serious medical mistake with fatal consequences.
A tragedy that could have been avoided
The story began on November 17, when Sheila was taken to the Pediatric Hospital of Santiago de Cuba with a fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Despite the evident dehydration, a duty doctor, as reported by the family, decided to administer a 30% dextrose solution—a high-concentration glucose solution—and send her home.
Shortly after, the little girl began to convulse, exhibited a high fever, and had to be urgently transferred to the intensive care unit.
She was diagnosed there with severe diabetic ketoacidosis. The little girl presented with type 1 diabetes, with a blood glucose level of 34 mmol/L, a pH of 6, tachycardia, and persistent seizures.
According to the complaint from his relatives, the administration of dextrose instead of a saline solution worsened his health condition irreversibly.
Sheila suffered multi-organ damage – including the brain, liver, kidney, and cardiac systems – and even experienced a cardiac arrest lasting 10 minutes.
Cry for justice
Richard Puente Barreiro, the uncle of the minor residing abroad, was one of the first to bring attention to the case and is now calling for justice.
"You left like a little angel and have left a great void. May God give strength to my sister and to your father... and may everything that happened be clarified so that your earthly departure may have peace and respect. Forever in my heart. Rest in peace."
The family has filed a formal complaint with the hospital management and demands severe penalties against those responsible.
Additionally, she requests that the medical protocols be reviewed and that what happened be clarified transparently, so that no other child has to go through a similar situation.
“The family requests human support, a professional review of what happened, and that each step of the medical process be shared transparently”, stated journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who has been following the case.
Sheila's story is not unique. In recent months, alleged medical negligence has resulted in similar tragedies.
Each testimony outlines a concerning pattern: delays in care, misdiagnoses, inappropriate decisions, and an overwhelmed, under-resourced, and crisis-stricken healthcare system.
“Sheila's death is also a wake-up call. It's not just about punishing, but about preventing,” said a user on social media while sharing the report. “How many more times must this be repeated?”
"Sheila did not have time to know the world... but her short life is already provoking a call for reflection, empathy, and collective responsibility," wrote Mayeta Labrada in her posthumous tribute.
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