A reporter who recently covered
the Containment Zone in New York unwittingly spread COVID-19
at her mother's 90th birthday party
and two people later died.
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
It was a joyous day
as a minister leads a congregation
in singing "Happy Birthday" for a woman turning 90.
9-0, wow.
But what was supposed
to be a beautiful occasion has turned into a nightmare.
Alice Stockton-Rossini,
a veteran reporter with WOR Radio in New York,
had organized the church celebration
on the Jersey Shore town
of Long Beach Island for her mom Jackie.
And then we have a birthday
on this row here, I think, too, don't we?
But in a cruel twist, Rossini is believed to have infected
at least nine elderly guests with COVID-19
who were at the church event.
Two of them have died.
She'd been covering the hard-hit city
of New Rochelle, New York.
She didn't know she was carrying the virus.
Do you feel responsible
for bringing the virus to Long Beach Island?
Yes, I do.
I feel like it's a good possibility.
It's a chance, yes.
How else could I feel?
Tragically, her mom
also tested positive for COVID-19.
We took my mother to the hospital
when her fever spiked to 102
and for three days she laid in the hospital,
waiting for the test results to come back.
At the end of the church service,
the minister advised people to take precautions,
suggesting they do an elbow bump.
Now let's share a special way to peace with the Lord.
Peace be with you.
Do you regret having that party?
Knowing then what I know now, yes.
(dramatic news music)