the Containment Zone in New York unwittingly spread COVID-19 3

at her mother's 90th birthday party 4

and two people later died. 5

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ 6

It was a joyous day 7

as a minister leads a congregation 8

in singing "Happy Birthday" for a woman turning 90. 9

9-0, wow. 10

But what was supposed 11

to be a beautiful occasion has turned into a nightmare. 12

Alice Stockton-Rossini, 13

a veteran reporter with WOR Radio in New York, 14

had organized the church celebration 15

on the Jersey Shore town 16

of Long Beach Island for her mom Jackie. 17

And then we have a birthday 18

on this row here, I think, too, don't we? 19

But in a cruel twist, Rossini is believed to have infected 20

at least nine elderly guests with COVID-19 21

who were at the church event. 22

Two of them have died. 23

She'd been covering the hard-hit city 24

of New Rochelle, New York. 25

She didn't know she was carrying the virus. 26

Do you feel responsible 27

for bringing the virus to Long Beach Island? 28

Yes, I do. 29

I feel like it's a good possibility. 30

It's a chance, yes. 31

How else could I feel? 32

Tragically, her mom 33

also tested positive for COVID-19. 34

We took my mother to the hospital 35

when her fever spiked to 102 36

and for three days she laid in the hospital, 37

waiting for the test results to come back. 38

At the end of the church service, 39

the minister advised people to take precautions, 40

suggesting they do an elbow bump. 41

Now let's share a special way to peace with the Lord. 42

Peace be with you. 43

Do you regret having that party? 44

Knowing then what I know now, yes. 45

(dramatic news music)