Family remembers 13-year-old Oklahoma girl who died of COVID-19 as funny, outgoing

The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Sunday announced the state’s first coronavirus-related pediatric death.The victim was later identified as 13-year-old Anna Carter. Her family said she died an hour after arriving at Comanche County Memorial Hospital on Friday.Carter also suffered from juvenile scleroderma, and her family said her immune system just could not fight COVID-19. The 13-year-old girl, who is the youngest known person in Oklahoma to die of the coronavirus, was vulnerable to the virus because of the autoimmune disorder.Her mother, Amber Carter, wrote online, “She was funny… oh so funny, outgoing in everything: theatrics and dance. She danced instead of walked most times.”Oklahoma’s total known death toll from the virus now stands at 424. Seven of those deaths were of people 35 years old and younger.Amber Carter remembers the youngest known death this way: “She had dreams, big ones, and would’ve accomplished them. We cannot let her dreams die with her. She wanted to create a cure for systemic scleroderma (and) all autoimmune diseases… I want to honor her memory every day of my life.”Anna Carter’s family confirmed that a GoFundMe page has been set up for funeral expenses. Anyone who wants to donate to the GoFundMe page can do so here.Her family also asked people to consider donating money to help others fighting juvenile scleroderma.