A six-year-old Georgia girl died on Monday, just weeks before she was scheduled to begin first grade at Euharlee Elementary School. Emersyn 'Emmy' Bridgers had been preparing for her first day, having already selected her outfit for Open House.
Bartow County School District officials described Emmy as a compassionate child, noting her kindergarten teacher called her 'Little Mama' for the care she showed her classmates. Her family described her as a "bright light" who was kind, happy, and loving to everyone.
Family members told WXIA-TV that Emmy had gone in for a scheduled tonsillectomy, but the Bartow County Coroner’s Office confirmed the surgery did not take place. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is now conducting an autopsy, and the Bartow County Coroner's office is awaiting medical records to determine the treatment Emmy received before her death. Tonsillectomies are generally considered common procedures with rare serious complications.
A GoFundMe account has been established by the family to assist with funeral and burial arrangements. Alvis Miller & Sons Funeral Home has offered to handle the arrangements free of charge. A date for the funeral has not yet been set pending the autopsy results. The family has requested that participants in the procession wear pink, Emmy's favorite color, for her "final ride."