A third grader from Buckeye died days after turning nine, following two emergency room visits. His first visit ended with a stomatitis diagnosis, and his mother said he tested positive for flu on the second; there was no clear explanation for how quickly he declined. Ian Loredo had been sent home from his first ER trip with anti-nausea medicine and a note saying he could return to school the next day. Hours after the family got back home, he was unresponsive.
Ian's mother, Carmen Viramontes, told 12News that her son had a fever and started vomiting the day before she first took him to an emergency room in Avondale. Discharge paperwork from that visit shows a doctor diagnosed him with stomatitis, an inflammation that can be caused by a viral infection, and Ian reported his pain at a six out of ten. He was sent home that day with medicine for nausea.
A Second Trip to the ER Comes Too Late
According to Viramontes, the family was home for about five hours before Ian became unresponsive, prompting her to call 911. He was rushed back to the emergency room, where he later died. Viramontes said he tested positive for influenza on that second visit and that she was told he died from complications of the flu — though an official cause of death from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner remains pending, per the same account relayed to the outlet.
Viramontes described Ian as a boy who was always happy and smiling, someone who brought joy to everyone around him and was endlessly friendly. She said he had no known underlying conditions and was, in her words, very healthy before he got sick. She told the outlet she hopes an eventual autopsy will help explain what happened to her son.
Remembered at His Buckeye School
Ian attended John S. McCain III Elementary School in Buckeye, where his mother said he dreamed of growing up to become a teacher. Viramontes said he will be remembered for his bright smile and kindness, adding that he was loved by everyone and will never be forgotten.
Phoenix Children's Hospital told the outlet it cannot comment on specific patient-care situations out of respect for patient privacy, while expressing sympathy for Ian's family. A car wash fundraiser has been organized to help the family cover funeral expenses, scheduled for Nov. 22 at the Peter Piper Pizza near Watson Road and Sundance Avenue in Buckeye, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Flu Activity Climbing Across Arizona
Ian's death comes as the Arizona Department of Health Services reported more than 2,400 flu cases so far this season, describing activity as significantly higher than average. The pattern isn't isolated to Arizona — a doctor quoted by CNN said this flu season started about two and a half months earlier than typical and hit West Coast states first, with the region covering Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada seeing at least 10% of flu tests come back positive in a recent week. Walgreens separately said the season was tracking roughly four weeks ahead of recent years nationally.
In Southern California, San Bernardino County officials confirmed their own pediatric flu death of the 2026-27 season, according to CBS Los Angeles. That county said the child had underlying medical conditions and was too young to be vaccinated, and noted that flu season typically runs from early November through the end of April, with ER visits for flu-like illness usually peaking between December and February.
The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner notes that any case information posted before a report is finalized is considered preliminary, and a completed report typically summarizes the circumstances of a death along with medical history and forensic findings, according to Maricopa County. For now, Ian's official cause of death has not been determined, and his family is left waiting for answers while leaning on their Buckeye community for support.
