Father of student who died after school deworming wants son’s autopsy

Leo Mission, the father of the Grade 4 student in Cavite who died after a routine deworming activity at their school, speaks to the media after seeking the help of the National Bureau of Investigation Homicide Division to investigate their child’s death. (Photo: Mary Joy Salcedo/INQUIRER)

MANILA, Philippines — The parents of the Grade 4 student in Cavite who died after a routine deworming activity at their school have sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate their child’s death.

Leo and Rutchie Mission, along with the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), arrived at the NBI Homicide Division around 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

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WATCH: The parents of the Grade 4 student in Cavite who died after a school routine deworming activity arrive at the NBI Homicide Division to seek help in investigating their child’s death. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/aBJeQIZg62

— MJ Salcedo (@MJSalcedoINQ) July 13, 2026

In an interview with reporters after appearing at the bureau, the father said he wants an autopsy for the body of his 8-year-old son, the youngest of their three children.

He noted that his son had no illness prior to the deworming activity at the Hugo Perez Elementary School-Annex in Trece Martires City, Cavite, on July 2.

READ: DepEd: Cavite student’s death after deworming due to septic shock

Mission pointed out that while the school had them sign a waiver two weeks before the incident, they were not informed that the deworming activity would be conducted on July 2.

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“The day they gave my son the medicine, they didn’t tell us anything,” Mission said.

“When he consumed it, he didn’t have anything to eat. Then he had a cold because he got wet from the rain,” he also said.

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Mission said that after the deworming activity around 10 a.m. on July 2 (Thursday), his son already began complaining of feeling nauseous.

A day later, on July 3 (Friday), the father said they had to confine their son to the hospital due to continuous vomiting.

“They gave him medicine for his stomach and fever, he was already asleep by then, and then I fed him rice. Around noon, he suddenly had a convulsion, stiffened, and turned violet,” he said.

“I was really surprised that something like that happened to my son. He was very strong then, but on Friday, he was dead. It was painful,” the father lamented.

‘Ready to file charges’

Mission said that they would file charges if it were proven that there was negligence on the side of the school that led to their son’s death.

“I think there is something really wrong because they didn’t tell us that the deworming activity would take place on July 2. And then my son didn’t have anything to eat. Then he was only 8-years-old, and then they gave him 400 milligrams,” he said.

He also emphasized that during last year’s deworming activity, the medication, which contained a lower dosage in milligrams, was personally given to them; thus they were the ones administered it to their child.

“If it’s really proven that the medicine was the cause, I won’t allow the case to just be fixed. They will pay for what they did to my son because he won’t be able to live anymore. His dreams are gone,” he pointed out.

He said that after the incident, their mayor arrived at their house on the next Monday, July 6, to apologize for what happened on behalf of the school and the student’s teacher.

“I said, ‘not right now because I’m still pissed off. Because my son is dead’,” he said.

READ: LIST: 15 cases of school violence lead to deaths, injuries in 3 weeks

“Then the principal said the same thing, that’s what they told us—the explanation that ‘no one wants my son to be dead.’ This will be like ‘thank you’ if I would agree just like that?” he emphasized.

VACC member Rhoda Alvarez said they will support the parents in investigating the death of the child.

The DepEd earlier released a statement, saying that the student’s death after the school deworming activity was caused by an infection that led to septic shock.

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Initial investigation revealed that aside from the death of the Grade 4 student, several other learners fell ill after the deworming activity.

The education agency said it is reviewing its health and safety protocols while health authorities probe the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. /mr