Infected Rat Killed 10-Year-Old Boy, Family Says; Petco Sued For Damages

A San Diego family is suing the popular pet store Petco, following the tragic death of their son from a bacterial infection he got from his pet rat.

According to the Associated Press, attorney John Gomez said on Tuesday that his firm filed the lawsuit Monday in San Diego County, seeking an undetermined amount of money for the pain and suffering the Pankey family endured following the death of their son, Aidan, on June 12, 2013, hours after he was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pains.

Following an autopsy to determine the 10-year-old’s cause of death, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled it was due to streptobacillus moniliformis infection, also known as rat-bite fever, after exposure to an infected rat.

In a statement, Petco offered condolences to the Pankey family:

“We are deeply saddened by the Pankey family’s tragic loss. The health and safety of people and pets is always a top priority, and we take the family’s concerns very seriously.”

Gomez said the boy’s grandmother purchased a male rat for the boy on May 27, 2013, because he wanted a companion for his female pet rat.

On June 11, Aidan woke up in the middle of the night with severe stomach pains and a fever. He was lethargic and could barely stand up and walk, the lawsuit claims, and passed away at 1:09 am the following day.

“He was a bright, energetic, friendly, happy kid who actually had a prior rat, who was a female, and he had this idea in his young head of having his female rat get married,” Gomez said.

Before his tragic death, Aidan Pankey’s family had never heard of the disease the infected rat suffered from, and say that Petco should have done more to make sure the animal was healthy before selling it to them.

Aidan’s grandmother, Sharon Pankey, says her grandson loved his family as well as his pet rat Oreo:

“He’d pop her on his shoulder and that little rat would hang on. It was like she was saying all right! Let’s go dad.”

Proving the innocence of a 10-year-old’s mind, Aidan had told his grandma that when Oreo had babies, he would become a grandfather and Sharon would be great-grandma.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Rat-bite fever is an infectious disease that can be caused by two different bacteria.

It’s a rare disease that usually comes from bites and scratches while handling an infected rat, and it can be fatal if not treated promptly.

[Image via Pankey Family/Newsnet5.com]