3 Months After Death Of Son, Glenpool Mother Has Answers

Nearly three months after her 11-year-old son passed away, a Glenpool mother finally has answers.

Skyler Hankins died just three days after being diagnosed with strep throat in January. His mother, Katrina, said she didn't think that's what took her son's life, and Monday she learned she was right.

“I don't know if my mind's playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn I heard, ‘Mom, mom.'”

It's that sound every mom knows too well. The words Katrina would give anything to hear again from her 11-year-old son, Skyler.

“I have to find a new normal because my world just got ripped apart from me,” she said.

Her normal died with her son on January 4th.

1/8/2015 Related Story: Glenpool Mother Prepares To Bury Son After Unexpected Death

She doesn't remember much about that day, just that she found her Skyler unresponsive in his bed. She tried CPR and then called 911, but there was nothing they could do.

“All I could remember is saying, ‘Jesus don't take my baby, please don't take my baby, not my baby,'" Katrina said.

Three days before Skyler died, Katrina said he was diagnosed with strep at Claremore Indian Hospital; she said they didn't give a strep test, just prescribed him medicine and sent him home.

She could not have imagined just a few days later she would be burying her son.

“Gut wrenching. Felt like someone took my heart out,” Katrina said.

She never thought it was strep that claimed Skyler's life, so every few days since she's called the medical examiner's office and finally got an answer.

“That just shocked me, being told strep throat and then a medical examiner coming back and stating sepsis, bronchial pneumonia and influenza b, in three days' time,” she said.

Learning what killed Skyler didn't exactly bring closure, just more questions.

“Why wasn't this caught,” Katrina asked.

Questions that may never be answered, questions that can only be calmed by the innocent sound of her son's voice in one of the last messages he ever left.

“Hi mom, I'm home,” Skyler said in a message left on Katrina's cell phone.

And he is home, his mother said, in Heaven.

“He has no more pain, no more sorrow. He has a brand new body and he's with God. That, in itself, is a huge blessing, that he's safe,” Katrina said.

She said she does not plan on taking legal action because that won't bring her son back. She said she just hopes some changes are made.

Indian Health Service said it is committed to providing the highest quality healthcare. IHS said it cannot comment on patient information.