SoCal 5-year-old has genius-level IQ, qualifies for Mensa

LA MIRADA, Calif. (KABC) -- Eva Covarrubias is a typical 5-year-old who loves everything from blocks to dolls. In school, she loves art, math and her teacher. But ever since she was a toddler, the La Mirada girl has shown she's gifted.

"Her piano teacher has told me that she's developing perfect pitch," Eva's mother Anna Laguna said. "We would go out, and she would hear songs. And she would come back, and she'd start playing it. She'd teach herself how to play them on the piano."

It started before she was two when she learned her ABC's and could count to 100.

"At about 3 years old, she also started to read, and she would sound out words on her own," Laguna said. "I would read her books, but I would never try to make her read words."

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A family member noted how rare it was. Eva's parents tested her IQ with an educational psychologist, and she scored high enough to be accepted into the Mensa Honor Society, the largest organization for people with high IQ's. This means she scored in the top 2% on a standardized intelligence test. She's also a part of the Davidson Young Scholars Program.

While her parents are proud, they're also a little scared.

"I don't know how to navigate this. I'm actually looking for resources and trying to research to see how to best navigate," Laguna said. "I would like to know that there's other kids like her out there. I know navigating friendships can be a little difficult right now for her."

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Eva faced a rare health issue this year, getting diagnosed with cataracts. After two eye surgeries and bifocals, she has her eyesight back.

What does Eva want for her future? Right now, she says she wants to be chef.

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