New York City officials are investigating the death of a toddler whose family said had an allergic reaction to the grilled cheese sandwich a preschool employer allegedly fed him last week. 
 
 Elijah, 3, was at the Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services in Harlem Nov. 3 when a supervising adult allegedly gave him a grilled cheese sandwich, "despite them knowing and having documented that he has a severe allergy to dairy," according to a page set up on crowdfunding site GoFundMe, which is said to be organized by "close family members" of Elijah's parents. 
 
 The New York City Fire Department confirmed there was no 911 call from the preschool during the time of the boy’s emergency. Instead, the school called Elijah’s mother, who took him to the hospital, the family said. 
 
 The facility has been shuttered and an investigation into the boy's death is ongoing, Christopher Miller, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told ABC News today. 
 
 "There is nothing more important than the safety of our children and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy," Miller said in an emailed statement. "We will get to the bottom of what happened here. In the meantime, we closed the Center for Family Services and continuing to aggressively investigate what happened and whether the facility could have done something differently to prevent this tragedy." 
 
 Elijah went into "anaphylactic shock" and was rushed to the pediatric emergency room at Harlem Hospital Center where he died, according to the GoFundMe page posted Tuesday. 
 
 The boy is survived by his "heartbroken mother, Dina, father, Thomas, and his 5-year-old brother, Sebastian," according to the page, which has raised nearly $20,000 by 325 donors in two days. 
 
 The money will help alleviate funeral and medical expenses, pay for family therapy and cover the cost of a "second and independent autopsy," the page says. 
 
 "Right now, our family is immersed in our grief, but we are also facing an overwhelming list of financial and practical matters, all related to Elijah's untimely death," the family members wrote on the page. 
 
 "We want to find out exactly what caused Elijah's death and that will mean sorting out exactly where, if any, breakdowns may have occurred at either the school or the hospital. Having a third-party medical examination will ensure our ability to get a clear picture. We just want justice for Elijah." 
 
 The GoFundMe page organizers and an attorney for Elijah's family did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment today. 
 
 The Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services and Harlem Hospital Center also did not immediately respond to ABC News' request today for information and comment on Elijah's death. 
 
 The New York Police Department referred ABC News' requests for information on the incident to the city’s Administration for Children's Services. 
 
 Lorelei Vargas, deputy commissioner for early care and education at the Administration for Children's Services, spoke to reporters outside the center this afternoon to address the "terrible tragedy," but said she couldn't provide much information because of the ongoing probe. 
 
 "We do believe that this is an isolated incident, but there is an active investigation and we hope to learn more," Vargas said, noting it's still unclear whether the incident could have been avoided "because we really don't know what happened." 
 
 "I don't want to speculate about what in fact took place here," she added. "I can't even share details because we don't know at this time." 
 
 The Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services is a Universal Preschool (UPK) site, part of the Administration for Children's Services' "EarlyLean NYC" program, a city health official told ABC News. Its Manhattan facility was closed for failing to follow its written safety plan and failing to adequately supervise a child, in violation of the health code, the official said. 
 
 The most recent inspection of the center took place Sept. 21 and no violations were cited, the official added. 
 
 The Administration for Children's Services will have staff at the center today assisting families in finding alternative programs for their children to attend, the official said, adding that confidentiality laws preclude investigators from commenting further on the probe. 
 
 Although the Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services' other facility in the Bronx remains open, Vargas said the organization, "as a whole," has been placed on a "corrective action plan" in which the Administration for Children's Services will "very thoroughly review policies and practices." 
 
 Before the city closed the facility, parent Jason Pruitt picked up his child from the center Wednesday when he learned about what had happened there. 
 
 "I honestly can't imagine what that family is going through at the time," Pruitt told ABC New York City station WABC outside the center. "I know that my daughter goes to this school, and if something happened to her I would be over the moon upset." 
 
 ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report. ||||| A spokesman for the Fire Department said that no F.D.N.Y. ambulances were called to that pre-K center on Friday. Ruben Porras, a cousin of Elijah’s father, said the school did not call an ambulance but called the boy’s mother instead. She then took him to the hospital. 
 
 Christopher R. Miller, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said in a statement: “There is nothing more important than the safety of our children and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will get to the bottom of what happened here. In the meantime, we closed the Center for Family Services and are continuing to aggressively investigate what happened and whether the facility could have done something differently to prevent this tragedy.” 
 
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 Mr. Miller said that there was a safety plan in place for Elijah at the Center, but he declined to say whether there was an EpiPen on site that could have treated the boy’s symptoms, citing the ongoing investigation. 
 
 On Thursday Lorelei A. Vargas, a deputy commissioner at the Administration for Children’s Services, visited the preschool, a brick building with “Pre-K For All” signs in its windows and a brightly colored mural out front, splashed with the words “fun,” “read,” and “friends.” 
 
 “There were no red flags at the center,” Ms. Vargas said. “We do believe that this was an isolated event.” 
 
 The GoFundMe page said that in addition to memorial expenses, the family was raising money for counseling for Elijah’s brother, Sebastian, 5, and to pay for a second, independent autopsy because “it is unclear where responsibility for Elijah’s death will fall between the pre-K and the hospital itself.” 
 
 The page continued: “We dread the upcoming holiday season without our little boy. We are lost.” ||||| A statement from Elijah’s parents, following the recent media attention: 
 
 
 
 “My wife Dina and I spend hours reading your messages. They are a lifeline during this horrible time period. We are moved to tears to know that we are not alone, both in our heartbreak and in our concern for safety around allergies in schools. 
 
 
 
 We also want to say that while we remain absolutely devastated over the loss of our sweet son Elijah, the outpouring of love from across the country has inspired us to ensure that his death did not happen in vain. As Elijah’s parents, we will use our voices to draw attention to *completely preventable* life-threatening allergic reactions in U.S. daycares and schools. These preventable tragedies must come to an end. 
 
 
 
 Every day since Elijah left us has been so painful. We come home to an apartment that has an eerie kind of emptiness. It is filled with his toys, his pictures on our walls, and the sounds of one child, the other missing. 
 
 
 
 Elijah’s brother Sebastian asked us how we could go see his baby brother in Heaven, “Can we ride a rocket ship to reach to him?” he asked, and our hearts broke all over again. The reality hits us, subsides, and then hits us again, and our hearts break each time. Your messages of love, support, and shared experiences are holding us up. We may be too overwhelmed to respond to everyone, but we want to thank you. 
 
 
 
 Focusing on advocacy for other children like Elijah gives us hope. You give us hope. 
 
 
 
 While we can no longer protect Elijah, hold him in our arms, or kiss his sweet little face, we can still fight for kids like him. And that’s exactly what we intend to do. 
 
 
 
 With Gratitude and Determination, 
 
 Elijah’s Parents, Dina & Thomas” 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ORIGINAL POST-------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 On November 3rd, 2017, our beloved Elijah was playing peacefully at his pre-k in Harlem, NYC, when he was given a grilled cheese sandwich by an adult at the pre-k, despite them knowing and having documented that he has a severe allergy to dairy. Elijah went into anaphylactic shock and was taken to the Pediatric ER at Harlem Hospital, where, tragically, they were unable to save him. Elijah leaves behind his heartbroken mother, Dina, father, Thomas, and his 5-year-old brother Sebastian, as well as dozens of friends and family members who all mourn the loss of his precious young life. Elijah was three years old. 
 
 
 
 Right now, our family is immersed in our grief, but we are also facing an overwhelming list of financial and practical matters, all related to Elijah’s untimely death. This GoFundMe page is organized by two of Thomas and Dina’s close family members. Its sole purpose is to alleviate the following costs: 
 
 
 
 --Cooked meals delivered to the family home so that Dina, Thomas and little Sebastian can rest and mourn and begin to heal without having to worry about shopping and cooking 
 
 
 
 --Financial support for time off of work 
 
 
 
 --Funeral & Memorial Expenses 
 
 
 
 --The cost of a second and independent autopsy. Here’s why we need it: at this moment, it is unclear where responsibility for Elijah’s death will fall between the pre-k and the hospital itself. There are protocols that both the hospital and preschool must follow. We want to find out exactly what caused Elijah’s death and that will mean sorting out exactly where, if any, breakdowns may have occurred at either the school or the hospital. Having a third party medical examination will ensure our ability to get a clear picture. We just want justice for Elijah. 
 
 
 
 Those matters aside, we would like to go on record as saying: Elijah’s death was completely preventable. 5.9 million children under the age of 18 suffer from food allergies in the United States. That’s 1 in 13 children, which works out to roughly two children with allergies inside of every U.S. classroom. WE CAN AND MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN U.S. SCHOOLS. 
 
 
 
 Our family is only beginning the long and painful process of adjusting to a world that does not include Elijah in it. As we ease into this unthinkable reality and say goodbye to our sweet, joyful Elijah--and our hopes and dreams for all he would become--we thank you for your support. It is an unimaginable time for everyone who loved Elijah, in particular for his 5-year-old brother Sebastian, who struggles to understand that his brother is truly gone. We dread the upcoming holiday season without our little boy. We are lost. For everyone who has already reached out to us with a text, a phone call, or a hot plate of food, it is your expressed care that keeps us going. Even if we are too overwhelmed to respond directly right now, we read every message and we want you to know that it means the world. 
 
 
 
 For those who can help with this GoFundMe, thank you. All of it will go directly to the costs listed above. Trust that no amount is too small and all of it is deeply appreciated. 
 
 
 
 With Gratitude and Profound Sadness, 
 
 
 
 Elijah’s Heartbroken Family 
 
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– A heartbroken New York family is mourning a 3-year-old boy whose death they say was completely preventable. Elijah Silvera was given a grilled cheese sandwich at a Harlem daycare on Nov. 3 "despite them knowing and having documented that he has a severe allergy to dairy," family members write on a GoFundMe page. He went into anaphylactic shock and doctors were unable to save him. The New York Times reports that a cousin says that instead of calling an ambulance, the school called the boy's mother, who took him to the hospital. The FDNY has confirmed that no ambulances were called to the Seventh Avenue Center for Family Services that day. Christopher Miller, a spokesman for the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said the facility has been closed and they are continuing to "aggressively investigate what happened and whether the facility could have done something differently to prevent this tragedy," ABC reports. He says there was a safety plan in place, as required by law, but did not comment on whether the daycare had an EpiPen that could have treated Elijah. On the GoFundMe page, relatives say the family is "only beginning the long and painful process of adjusting to a world that does not include Elijah in it." They say they are raising funds for expenses including a second autopsy to determine whether the school or the hospital failed to follow protocols.