Mich. woman dies after contracting flesh-eating bacteria - Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

A Farmington Hills woman has died after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria, family members tell FOX 2.

According to her husband Jeff, 33-year-old Crystal Spencer died Sunday afternoon. Doctors believe she developed a blood clot that traveled to her heart.

"She was supposed to be going to a recovery center," said Jeff Spencer.

It was earlier this month when friends and family say Crystal didn't feel well after getting a growth removed from her leg at Botsford Hospital. "She started not eating, just kept complaining of terrible pain in her leg and her abdomen until he finally took her back in," said Theresa Corwin.

"You can pick up bad bugs in the hospital, and then you might be dealing with kind of a supercharged, super-guerrilla bacteria that is just going to fly through your tissues," said the DMC's Dr. Joel Kahn.

The bacteria, known as necrotizing fasciitis, is just one strain and it moves quickly, not only eating away at the body's flesh, but infecting the body with toxins.  The bacteria spreading after a growth or cut leaves the body open to the infection.

The family has set up a fund to help pay for medical bills and funeral expenses. If you'd like to donate, the Crystal Spencer Recovery Fund has been set up at the LOC Federal Credit Union (Account No. 60769).