WaPo: County Coroner Confirms First Infant Death From Measles in Amish County; Shapiro Pounces

As Twitchy reported last month, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is almost certainly eyeing a 2028 run, did some fearmongering when he claimed that two newborns had died from measles. The narrative, of course, is that President Donald Trump is to blame for the measles outbreak and the infants' deaths by appointing "anti-vaxxer" Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to his administration.

The Lancaster County coroner performed an autopsy and confirmed that the infant died of a ruptured spleen, not measles. A reporter asked Shapiro, with so much misinformation and confusion floating around, why he wasn't more specific and transparent about that case. Not surprisingly, Shapiro didn't want to address that, saying he didn't think "it serves the interest of public health … for me to get into a back and forth about conspiracy theories showing up online."

On Friday, The Washington Post reported that an infant from the Amish community in Lancaster County had died from measles.

An infant from the Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has died of measles, the first child death confirmed by the county coroner in this outbreak. https://t.co/t3bdM1wrZV
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 5, 2026

The child was also born with a rare disease that the survival rate is only a few months, still all very sad but this is very misleading.
— sarahinMT (@MeSarah406) September 5, 2026

What's that?

Lena H. Sun and Rachel Roubein report:

The 6-week-old died Aug. 18 at home, after being in palliative care at home soon after birth. The infant was born with a rare genetic condition that is not generally found outside the Amish community, Amish lethal microcephaly, he said. Most babies with that condition live only four to six months, he said.
“They often die of respiratory illness, and as a result of respiratory illness and low oxygen as a result of the measles infection, having Amish lethal microcephaly made the child very susceptible to severe illness and death,” said Diamantoni, a Republican family doctor first elected coroner in 2007.

The infant had a genetic issue with life expectancy of 6 months, you’re all spinning the issue to cover up the lie by Shapiro. Keep carrying water for the communist democrats it’s already costed you all credibility. We will not comply! Never again.
— me the person (@me_the_person) September 5, 2026

Here's Shapiro on Friday, giddy over the headline, trying to place the blame on Kennedy:

Last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported our Commonwealth’s first two measles-associated deaths in 35 years.

Then, instead of listening to the real doctors and public health experts, RFK chose to sow doubt, play politics, direct the CDC not to acknowledge these… https://t.co/loom4e3gYo
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) September 4, 2026

The post continues:

… deaths, and even accuse me of fabricating these tragedies. That led to a firestorm of conspiracy theories that denied these families’ pain, invaded their privacy, and undermined public health.
It’s long past time for RFK to stop playing games with people’s lives, report these deaths accurately on the CDC dashboard, and heed the guidance of actual medical experts so people get accurate information to discuss with their trusted health care providers and can best protect themselves and their children against this deadly disease.

"Accuse me of fabricating these tragedies." The first infant Shapiro said died from measles actually died from a ruptured spleen, and Shapiro doubled down on it when called out by a reporter.

Kennedy responded:

The facts emerging now demonstrate why CDC waited for the evidence rather than allowing political grandstanding to dictate its reporting. Governor Shapiro, by contrast, politicized these two tragic deaths before the underlying causes had been established.

The Lancaster County… https://t.co/VnXuAoMM3C
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) September 4, 2026

The post continues:

… Coroner has now publicly stated that measles caused only the second infant’s death and has also publicly stated that the infant had Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare genetic condition in which infants typically live only about six months, received palliative care continuously from birth, and died at approximately two months of age. The Coroner continues to state publicly that the first infant died from a lacerated spleen, not measles.
The National Center for Health Statistics does not currently have any death records from 2026 that indicate measles is the underlying cause but will update as it receives and reviews submitted records. CDC will continue to update its reporting as additional information becomes available and relevant reviews are completed.

You held a press conference said two unvaccinated children died of measles.

One died from a ruptured spleen at birth. One was on palliative care upon birth (unrelated to measles).

You politicized these tragic deaths.

It is demonic that you are doing this and doubling down.
— Calley Means (@calleymeans) September 4, 2026

Governor Shapiro lied.
— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) September 4, 2026

How are you doubling down on this? The article literally says the baby was born with a disease and would not have survived past 6 months. Even if they had every vaccine under the sun. I can’t believed you’re not ashamed but instead doubling down. I hope this ruins your ambitions pic.twitter.com/AnNvSzTLoQ
— Fiatnam Veteran (@FiatnamVeteran) September 4, 2026

Stop campaigning for president. Commissioner Parsons has raised serious, substantive, and detailed objections to your handling of this situation. Focus on the substance, not the narrative tailored to a non-Pennsylvania audience. @ZitoSalena @PhilaFreedomGuy @calleymeans…
— Roger Baumgarten (@RogerBaumgarten) September 5, 2026

Let's review the facts: The baby girl also had Amish lethal microcephaly. Infants born with this condition typically only live about six months.
The second died of a ruptured spleen.
Neither child would have taken the vax.
We arent going there
— Patriot D (@dmuscrat) September 4, 2026

"Both of the individuals were unvaccinated." @GovernorShapiro

This report says second baby. So if both reported deaths were infants, they would not have been vaccinated because you don't vaccinate infants.

How is that not playing politics?
— Dan Bartkowiak (@DanBartkowiak) September 4, 2026

You certainly don't vaccinate a newborn.

You are politicizing tragic deaths of infants. Stop. It's shameful.
— Industrious Jay 🇺🇸 (@IndustriousJay) September 5, 2026

Liar. The only one playing politics is you. Trying to use the tragic deaths of those two infants for your political advantage by lying about the cause of death.
— Ronin (@tackledummy5) September 5, 2026

Why are the rungs of the ladder you are building to climb to presidency made of dead babies?
— BlackWolfNews (@BlackWolfNews) September 5, 2026

Not very sporting to outright lie. Usually politicians just manipulate the truth leaving it ambiguous if they're liars. But now we know, you're a craven dishonest machievellian using dead children as a political cudgel against your enemies. Enemies who should be your friends.
— Dagus Archway (@lorddouglasarch) September 5, 2026

It's really sick how Shapiro pounced on two alleged measles deaths. As the poster above said, it was a political cudgel he could use against Kennedy and the Trump administration. And he continues to double down.

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