CRIMINAL prosecution could be considered over the sudden death of a girl, 13, from a ‘flu-like bug’ – after doctors dismissed her as a “diva teen”.
Chloe Longster died of sepsis on November 29, 2022 after NHS staff fobbed off her cold and flu symptoms and told her mother Louise she was a “mum who had been on Google”.
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The teen, in “unbearable” and “severe pain” in her ribs, was eventually rushed to A&E on November 28 and died 18-and-a-half-hours later.
She was admitted to the paediatric ward at Kettering General Hospital in Northamptonshire that evening.
Chloe was later transferred to intensive care, where she was intubated in the ICU but passed away after 30 minutes of CPR while in cardiac arrest.
A coroner has now concluded negligence by NHS staff contributed to Chloe’s death.
A Care Quality Commission (CQC) spokesperson said: “We are currently in the process of making inquiries to establish whether there is reasonable suspicion that a criminal offence has been committed.”
At an inquest which concluded at Northampton Coroner’s Court on Friday, assistant coroner Sophie Lomas ruled there were multiple vital missed opportunities to save Chloe’s life.
The key problems identified in the inquest included delays to her sepsis screening and treatment, as well as delays to prescribe and administer the correct antibiotics.
Chloe had complained of cold-like symptoms in the days leading up to her death, but her mum said they “didn’t interrupt her usual activities”.
But after she was raced to hospital, the schoolgirl quickly deteriorated.
Chloe’s mother Louise said her daughter “asked to be put to sleep” in the hospital because the pain was “unbearable”.
Louise told the inquest on the first day of evidence: “Chloe asked me on Skylark if she was going to die.
“It’s haunting that the 13-year-old was the one that was right. It’s devastating.”
The inquest heard how Chloe’s chest x-ray showed solid material in her left lung rather than air, which made doctors initially believe that she had a chest infection or pneumonia.
The family’s solicitor, Rachel Young, told the coroner there were a “sequence of delays” and “crucial and significant missed opportunities” in Chloe’s care.
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She added: “The evidence is clear – a sepsis screening did not happen when it should have taken place.”
In a narrative verdict read to the court, Ms Lomas said: “Between 12.15am and 12.40am there were signs of septic shock.
“Recognition of that should have prompted immediate action.
“There were several missed opportunities to recognise Chloe’s deteriorating condition.
“The trust recognised those missed opportunities, they have stated there were shortcomings in care both medically and in nursing.
“I do accept on balance that Chloe’s condition, if identified earlier, could have been managed and would have altered the outcome.
“Her death was contributed to by negligence. There were repeated missed opportunities to recognise and respond to her deteriorating condition.”
SERIES OF DELAYS
The inquest heard how it took almost eight hours before Chloe’s blood pressure was recorded on hospital systems after she arrived.
Ms Lomas said if this had been recorded earlier, her Paediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) would have triggered a red flag for sepsis.
And, a nurse who later recorded observations did not use the sepsis screening tool but could not articulate why she did not.
She agreed that she should have done, Ms Lomas told the inquest.
A statement written by Chloe’s family, read by Ms Lomas, said: “She was a shining example to others with a heart of gold.
“She saw the world through a lens of kindness. If only the world could have been kinder back. If only in her time of need she was shown the same compassion.”
Louise told how a “very healthy” Chloe had a passion for dancing and gymnastics.
She never been admitted to hospital before, and had only ever been diagnosed with mild asthma.
‘POWERLESS’
Speaking before the five-day inquest began, the heartbroken mum told the PA news agency she felt “powerless”.
She said: “I was up and down constantly trying to get Chloe the medication that she needed and she was prescribed.
“Everything just felt really delayed, there didn’t seem to be any sort of meaningful urgency or action.
“There was ample time, there were plenty of opportunities. She was literally under their noses and everything was there.
“I really believe Chloe died because there is a pervasive belief that parents are an irritant and they’re wrong.
“There needs to be empathy and compassion when dealing with especially sick children. Chloe was voiceless for that period of time. I was completely powerless, as was her dad.”
The devastated parent said life has been a “living nightmare” since the tragedy.
“Nothing compares to losing a child. Chloe’s absence is deafening – she was larger than life in a lot of ways, she was very much just excitable and a burst of energy,” she said.
What are the symptoms of sepsis?
SEPSIS is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when your immune system overreacts and starts to damage your body’s own tissues and organs.
Symptoms of sepsis in an adult include:
- Acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast
Symptoms in a child include:
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- Difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast
- A weak, high-pitched cry that’s not like their normal cry
- Not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
- Being sleepier than normal or having difficulty waking
They may not have all these symptoms.
If you think you or someone else has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E.
Source: NHS
Following the conclusion of the inquest on Friday, Louise said in a statement: “While nothing can make up for the loss of Chloe, we are pleased with the coroner’s findings of neglect as part of her narrative conclusion.
“There was a catalogue of missed opportunities in Chloe’s care.”
Group chief nurse for the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Julie Hogg, said: “We offer our deepest condolences to Chloe’s family for their loss. We are sorry that we failed to offer Chloe the care she deserved – we should have done more.
“In the two years since Chloe died our teams have worked hard to make significant improvements, including our management of patients with sepsis and those who are not getting better.
“We have also increased our staffing levels and improved the way we communicate with our patients and their families. We realise there is still more to do but we are committed to ensuring that every patient receives the best care.”
Ms Lomas concluded the inquest with a statement to the family, in which she said: “Chloe’s loss is tragic. You, through the pen portrait, presented a picture of a wonderful child who had so much to give.
“I pass on my condolences in respect of that.”
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