Family of Sullivan County woman who died on Ghana honeymoon asks for help getting her remains and stranded 6-year-old son home
Kia’s remains and her beloved son are now in an international limbo, tied up in red-tape that’s expected to cost $35,000 in medical, legal, travel and political fees.
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A Barryville woman who was three months pregnant with twins and on an extended honeymoon in her husband’s native country of Ghana tragically died, according to the woman's sister.
Kia Williams, 30, was also on the adventure with her 6-year-old son.
“He video called and was really upset and crying. He literally said, ‘Kia is dead,’” said Miyanna Albritton.
Albritton says they got word of her death from Kia’s husband, Desmond. She says Kia went to the doctor a few days before when she felt sick, but was sent home. She claims Kia never got well, was later diagnosed with pneumonia, and died May 28 during a delay in getting payment to the hospital a few hours after she got there.
“Before they were continuing her medical treatment, they were telling Desmond that he needed to pay her $6,000 medical bill,” said Albritton.
Kia’s remains and her beloved son are now in an international limbo, tied up in red tape that’s expected to cost $35,000 in medical, legal, travel and political fees.
“They are bull*hitting us. We are just getting played,” said Albritton. “We are completely heartbroken. We are in shock. It’s been two weeks, going on three weeks of just back and forth.”
The family says Kia’s death is under investigation. They say Kia’s husband is not her son’s legal guardian and is on a waitlist to get a visa to bring the boy home.
Albritton says they also can’t get Kia’s death certificate to get emergency custody to go there themselves until they pay thousands of dollars to the funeral home holding her body.
“This is a life-changing, heartbreaking situation for us and it’s tragic. We want everyone to know what’s going on. This is not right. It’s not fair," says Albritton.
Kia’s family says they’re working with the U.S. Consulate in Ghana to help. A GoFundMe has also been started to raise the money needed to get Kia’s body and her son back to New York.
