San Elizario family recovering after losing home in fire

A San Elizario family is recovering after losing their mobile home in a fire in January. The road to recovery has been tougher than the family thought. Now, they allege University Medical Center released the daughter without proper treatment.

The fire happened on overnight January 27th on the 300 block of Fullbrook Avenue in January.

“It’s depressing. Just to think back that we would have stayed there. It’s really sad,” Jennifer Carrillo said.

Carrillo was in tears as she recalled the terrifying night she and her father, Angel, lost their home.

“I woke up and thought it was light, but when I opened my room, it was full of fire, the flames were huge,” Carrillo said.

The two didn’t think twice and ran through the flames, both suffered first, second and third degree burns all over their bodies, and were sent to UMC. Angel was then flown to the Lubbock Burn Center, but Jennifer was released just hours later.

Two days later, Jennifer was still in pain–her wounds getting worse. She went to Sierra Providence where she says she was told her burns were even more severe than they were told.

“The same day that it happened I was supposed to go to Lubbock with my dad,” Carrillo said.

She was then airlifted to the Lubbock Burn Center for treatment. The Carrillo family says they believe Jennifer should have been referred from day one.

“It wasn’t just a little burn, it was really painful,” Carrillo said.

“We consulted with departmental leadership who reviewed this particular case and the burns received. The burns did not meet hospital, national or burn center criteria,” UMC Spokesman Ryan Mielke said in a statement.

The hospital’s physicians follow two sets of guidelines created by the American College of Surgeons and a second criteria by the American Burn Association, in order to refer a patient to elsewhere like Lubbock.

Jennifer’s wounds are now healing, and in just a week, she’ll be back in school. All the family can do now, is move forward.

“It’s really hard, but you get through it with everyone by your side,” Carrillo said.

Angel’s burns are healing. Jennifer will be back in school in just a week. The San Elizario Fire Department says the fire is still under investigation.