Virginia mother Ayla Garcia dies from salmonella infection contracted during Kenya mission trip

Ayla Garcia, 36, a Virginia mother of four, traveled to Kenya on July 1, 2026, to volunteer with the Zion Family children's home. While there she contracted a severe salmonella infection, which her family believes was caused by contaminated ice. Because Garcia lived with sickle cell disease, the infection spread rapidly to her kidneys, liver and bloodstream, requiring intensive‑care treatment, multiple blood transfusions and dialysis.

Doctors determined she could not be medically evacuated to the United States; the cost of evacuation was estimated at over $250,000. A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $33,800 to support her care and eventual repatriation of her body. The Aga Khan University Hospital in Kenya required full payment before releasing her remains. Garcia posted a video from her hospital bed on July 19, expressing hope of returning home before she died on July 24.

The case highlights heightened infection risks for people with sickle cell disease traveling abroad.