Kennedy Acknowledges Infant Measles Death Amid Pennsylvania Outbreak

Health13 sourcesSep 6, 2026

9 placedFactual rigor 51/100

The Story

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is claiming vindication in an ongoing controversy about a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania.

The controversy centers on two measles-related deaths announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on August 25, both in Lancaster County. Governor Josh Shapiro held a press conference to warn about the public health threat and urge vaccination, criticizing Kennedy's administration for undermining federal support for vaccination. Kennedy had posted misinformation on the official CDC website, and Donald Trump signed executive orders to roll back official childhood vaccination recommendations.

Kennedy initially fired off tweets accusing Shapiro of taking giddy delight in announcing two measles deaths and suggested the link might be fabricated. The Lancaster County coroner initially knew of one death, an infant whose cause of death was a ruptured spleen. On Friday, the coroner announced his office learned of another person with measles who had died.

Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni confirmed Friday that one of the two deaths was measles-related. The infant died on August 18 at home, after being in palliative care soon after birth. The 6-week-old infant was born with Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare genetic condition, and most babies with that condition live only four to six months.

Kennedy acknowledged Friday that measles caused the death of an infant in Pennsylvania, after previously questioning the state's reporting. He accused Shapiro of hastily politicizing the death. Kennedy asked his newly appointed CDC director, Erica Schwartz, to remove a reference to the two deaths from the agency's online measles tracker, and Schwartz complied. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 3,134 cases in the U.S., including 557 in Pennsylvania as of Thursday.

What they agree on

The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County on August 25.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. initially questioned the state's reporting of these deaths.
Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni confirmed on Friday that one of the two deaths was measles-related.
This confirmed death was a 6-week-old infant who also had a rare genetic condition called Amish lethal microcephaly.
Governor Josh Shapiro had urged residents to vaccinate and criticized Kennedy's administration for undermining vaccination efforts.

Where they split

The Bulwark and RealClearPolitics frame Kennedy's actions as "sickening" or a "debacle," focusing on his claim of vindication despite the confirmed death.
The Independent and The Hill emphasize Kennedy's "finally admits" or "accepts" that measles was the cause of the infant's death, highlighting his shift in stance.
Twitchy and The Washington Post provide specific details about the infant's pre-existing condition, Amish lethal microcephaly, and the initial finding of a ruptured spleen.
The Independent and The Hill include the detail that Kennedy asked CDC director Erica Schwartz to remove a reference to the two deaths from the agency's online measles tracker, which Schwartz complied with.