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Woman poisoned by mushrooms dies

Husband, who also ate Death Caps at Lodi Lake, released from hospital

By Maggie Creamer and Angie Garcia
News-Sentinel Staff Writers
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 8:14 AM PST

Comments (23 comment(s))

A mother of three passed away Sunday night after eating mushrooms in the Lodi Lake Nature Area on Nov. 8.

Reina Jimenez, 31, died after eating poisonous mushrooms called Death Caps, or Amanita phalloides. The husband of Jimenez, Israel Vega, 32, was also treated for mushroom poisoning and was released Monday, said Inocencia Cruz, who is Jimenez' sister.

The couple have three children: Andrea, 8, Israel, 6, and Roberto, 4, who are staying with relatives in Lodi.

Jimenez' cousin Fidelfa Jimenez, who is in her mid-30s, received a liver transplant Friday and is also recovering. She has two children ages 4 and 12.

The three family members ate the mushrooms and fell ill Nov. 8. Victims can become nauseous and have gastrointestinal problems within two hours after eating the mushrooms. The toxins in the mushrooms attack the liver.

They waited two days before seeking medical attention at Lodi Memorial Hospital's emergency room and were then transferred to California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

Reina and Fidelfa Jimenez were both candidates for a transplant, said hospital spokesman Kevin McCormack. He said the damage to Reina Jimenez' liver was too great, and she was not well enough for a transplant.

Fidelfa qualified for a transplant after the hospital signed her up for some form of insurance, most likely a public health insurance program, McCormack said. The hospital needs to make sure patients that receive transplants have insurance, so they will be able to afford the expensive anti-rejection medication for the rest of their lives.

"We want to make sure the people we choose for an organ transplant are able to benefit long-term," he said.

The three family members have lived in Lodi for nine or 10 years after moving from Oaxaca, Mexico. They have picked mushrooms previously from the nature area, Cruz said.

Family friend Erin Herrera said she is helping organize a fundraiser to help the family pay for expenses.

She said there will be boxes placed in Mexican stores around Lodi for people to donate, and there may be a car wash fundraiser later this week.

Contact reporter Maggie Creamer at maggiec@lodinews.com or read her blog at www.lodinews.com/blogs/citybuzz.

Reader Feedback

jesuswasacommunist wrote on Nov 27, 2009 5:07 PM:

" Well Lodi etc. white supremacists, you really do yourselves proud, please stay dependant on your frankinfood from your local grocery and fast food joints, and your frankindrugs peddled to you by your local western M.D.'s who have sold out their hypocratic oaths, and be proud of sending your kids of to die in Iraq/Afganistan/Pakistan for the robber class elites, then maybe the rest of us won't have to read your racist feces here anymore.

I would rather pay for medicare for everyone than illegal wars for resources control for the empire. "

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strandedinalimo wrote on Nov 27, 2009 2:17 PM:

" It has nothing to do with the fact that she is Mexican. Also, no where on here does it say that she or her family is illegal. Lots of people, no matter their race do things most other people wouldn't. This is a sad event, furthering my phobia of mushrooms, but her family should not have to read of insults and accusations against their wife and mother. "

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rodneyt wrote on Nov 27, 2009 6:01 AM:

" For all you home owners out there that has mushrooms that grow on your lawn go get a sign befor some one eats them.make sure its in english and spanish "

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LodiJoe wrote on Nov 27, 2009 5:29 AM:

" Ok Lodi, brace yourself for the inevitable lawsuits. Some sleaze ball lawyer is on the phone as I type promising this family millions. After all, it was Lodi's fault these deadly mushrooms were growing on city property. "

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rodneyt wrote on Nov 27, 2009 4:48 AM:

" First i would like to give my Condolences to the famley.Its not easy to lose a loved one.But some one needs to draw the line when it comes to puting up signs dont eat the mushrooms.its commonsense but commonsense is not so common these days.next thing is that we are going to haft to put a sign up saying dont drank the water becous some one will becouse they did from thear native country.when are people going to stop blaming outhers for thear ignorance and take responsibility for there action. "

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MexPride wrote on Nov 26, 2009 8:45 AM:

" This is a sad story but people that comment saying you have to be mexican, eat mushrooms and be illegal to get ahead of everyone is ignorant. This was a life or death situation. People need to grow up and realize that illegals have the same right as citizens it doesn't make them less of a human being. "

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tosh conn wrote on Nov 24, 2009 7:40 PM:

" Dogs for you and Giovanina: Probably no surprise to you but the people at the head of the line are incarcerated prisoners. They get everything. Illegals are second. You and your family and friends are fifth. Merry Christmas, Hope and Change. "

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edumacation wrote on Nov 24, 2009 7:21 PM:

" My condolences to the families involved!

So this Thanksgiving I will NOT bake my annual mushroom pie from wild mushrooms. Instead, good old Raleys has the produce that I need.

So Mr. fried Turkey and mushroom pie with hot salsa are on my shopping list for turkey day. Hmmm good. Please pass another slice of my FAVORITE pie? "

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sparky595 wrote on Nov 24, 2009 6:50 PM:

" Lodian wrote:

'I am amazed the hospital was able to get health insurance for Fidelfa in time for her to receive the liver transplant and the meds she will need to survive for the rest of her life. '

All without the help of obamacare. Amazing. "

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Rhodie wrote on Nov 24, 2009 5:23 PM:

" Dogs, I'm not positive but I think the Liver wait list is depentant on how sever the liver damage is. So if you will die in two dies with out it you move infront of someone who will die in a week without one.

Anyone know if ObamaCare has provisions in it for organ donation reform? "

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dogs4you wrote on Nov 24, 2009 4:41 PM:

" Giovanina, totaly agree with you, how can a person get a liver in so short of time when there are people that are on the list that have been waiting for months, perhaps years and are Americans. I would think an explanation is forth coming. Perhaps from Maggie. Evidently all dangerous plants should be printed in Spanish. "

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sooziesdad wrote on Nov 24, 2009 3:36 PM:

" Darn shame. Hopefully the Latino Times and other bilingual papers will pick this up to prevent tragedies of this sort from happening in the future. "

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Giovanina wrote on Nov 24, 2009 3:35 PM:

" I think he was being sarcastic.

Funny, I have a friend whose husband has Cancer and has been waiting months for a liver. So you just have to be from Mexico, eat poison mushrooms, have no insurance, and you go to the head of the line?

That's what I expect for all of us, if the healthcare bill passes.

U.S. citizen to the back of the line!!! "

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tosh conn wrote on Nov 24, 2009 2:50 PM:

" Craigc: You sound like a salaried employee of the great "Nannystaters". I hope I am wrong. "

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craigc wrote on Nov 24, 2009 1:12 PM:

" It's always a tragedy for someone to lose their life under these sort of circumstances. Children losing a parent because of ignorance makes this story especially sad. I would like to know, however, when is the blame shoe is going to drop. Why weren't signs in english and spanish and urdu not posted in the nature area to warn of this deadly threat? Why does our city government not care about our guests from other countries. Please tell me that my tax dollars are paying for the hospital stays, transplants, lifelong anti-rejection medication, future court expenses, attorney's fees, restitution, etc... As I mentioned above, I have great empathy for the Jimenez family during this time. Sometimes, ignorance has a price. "

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Verity wrote on Nov 24, 2009 12:54 PM:

" "...there will be boxes placed in Mexican stores..." What??? "

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lodidian wrote on Nov 24, 2009 10:06 AM:

" I'm especially sorry for the children of the mother who died. So very sad!
I am amazed the hospital was able to get health insurance for Fidelfa in time for her to receive the liver transplant and the meds she will need to survive for the rest of her life. "

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maggiecreamer wrote on Nov 24, 2009 10:04 AM:

" M2CW,
We are still talking to the family to find out the best way to donate. We will get that information to you as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Maggie "

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tosh conn wrote on Nov 24, 2009 9:52 AM:

" This is an awful situation with permanent problems. Really sorry. How does one "move" here from Mexico ? "

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Lodian wrote on Nov 24, 2009 8:26 AM:

" This is so sad. Condolences to the family. Rest in peace Mrs. Jimenez. I pray the others continue to recover. "

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Mrs. S. wrote on Nov 24, 2009 8:23 AM:

" How very sad for this woman's family. I hope the other two recover soon. "

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M2CW wrote on Nov 24, 2009 8:18 AM:

" I would like to make a donation to help this family. LNS - can you find out that information? "

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Journey wrote on Nov 24, 2009 8:08 AM:

" Here is an opportunity for Lodi to show the rest of us what it is made of. This family needs a lot of help. Perhaps donation boxes could be placed in "English stores" as well as Mexican stores around Lodi. "

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Comments on this story are now closed.

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