Fanny S. Chirinos/Caller Times

The family of Maria Carmen Gomez, the 2-year-old Ingleside girl who fell
into a septic tank last Saturday, told her goodbye Wednesday after deciding
to donate her organs.

"Technically, she's alive; but to the family, she's already gone," said the
family's attorney, Albert Huerta, who is speaking on the family's behalf.
"They were happy someone else was going to receive these gifts and the baby
would live forever."

Maria will remain on life support until Driscoll Children's Hospital and the
organ transplant organization, Southwest Transplant Alliance, find organ
recipients.

Recipients must have the same blood type and general body size of their
donor. Finding a match involves entering the donor's blood type and body
size into a computer that holds similar information for all of the people
awaiting organ transplants, said Pam Silvestri, public information officer
for the alliance.

"We give families the time they need to understand that death has occurred,
and then we share with them that they have the option to turn this tragic
situation into something positive by saving lives through donation,"
Silvestri said. "We follow up with the family to share basic information
about the people who've received organs, and we keep in touch with them to
help them with referrals throughout their grief process."

Police officials were called to the 2900 block of Penoak Avenue Saturday to
search for Maria after her mother, Antonia Veronica Gomez, couldn't find
her. Maria's grandfather, Victor Gomez, found her submerged headfirst in an
abandoned septic tank located about 25 feet from the front door of their
home.

She never regained consciousness. Child Protective Services is investigating
the incident in the interest of Maria's sibling, who is currently staying
with relatives, said Aaron Reid, CPS spokesman. Reid would not release any
information about the sibling.

The unfilled septic tank Maria fell into has become the subject of a
potential lawsuit, Huerta said.
"Someone should have covered that hole because it wasn't being used," he
said.

Huerta is investigating the party responsible for the unfilled hole and said
he should have a lawsuit ready by Monday morning. He said there might be a
handful of complainants listed in the lawsuit.

Victor Gomez purchased the property and home several weeks ago and the
family moved in three weeks before the incident. Gomez has a conveyance, a
general warranty lien, on the property, Huerta said.

"I don't believe (the Gomez family) knew the septic tank was even there,"
Huerta said. "(Victor Gomez) found out when he was looking for the baby."