A four-year-old boy, Daniel Klosi, died from sepsis despite multiple hospital visits within a week. An inquest revealed that Daniel was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in Camden, north London, four times in a week, including twice in one day. He passed away on 2 April 2023.
On Tuesday, Poplar Coroner’s Court heard that hospital staff missed or made incomplete checks on Daniel before his death. His father, Kastriot Klosi, described Daniel, who had autism, as a “lively boy” with no other health issues. Mr Klosi and the boy’s mother, Lindita Alushi, noticed their son was “wheezing and had a barking cough” on 26 March. Daniel was diagnosed with crepitation of the lungs at the Royal Free emergency department.
On 30 March, they returned to the hospital. A doctor and nurse insisted Daniel had a virus and sent him home to rest. Mr Klosi said Daniel “suddenly stopped eating and drinking” on 1 April. They called 111 and were booked for triage at 1pm at the Royal Free. Again, they were told Daniel had a virus. Mr Klosi expressed concern, feeling the doctor was fixated on the idea of a virus without seeking the real problem.
After another discharge, the family returned at 4.30pm the same day. Daniel began deteriorating, with his nose, hands, and feet turning purple, and his lips becoming cracked and blue. He died early on 2 April.
Several doctors and medical staff told the court they followed guidelines in treating Daniel but admitted they should have asked for more observations and might have acted differently in hindsight. Dr Shrabhi Agarwal, who saw Daniel at around 3.30am on 31 March, noted that all viral swabs were negative and Daniel seemed better an hour after the tests. The last set of observations was at 4.30am, but he was not discharged until 8am. Dr Agarwal agreed that the gap was too long and said, “in hindsight, maybe we could have started him on antibiotics earlier.”
Lucy Parker, Daniel’s triage nurse on 1 April, admitted she could not carry out a full observation due to the boy’s distress. She noted that the observations she did obtain showed no immediate alarm bells, meaning Daniel’s heart rate and blood pressure were not recorded.
Dr Kavita Sumaria, a paediatric consultant, met Daniel and his father while finishing her morning shift on 1 April. She did not realise it was Daniel’s third visit to the hospital at that time. The inquest will continue on Wednesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What caused the death of the four-year-old boy?
The boy died from sepsis.
How many times did Daniel visit the hospital before he died?
Daniel visited the hospital four times in a week.
What symptoms did Daniel show before his death?
Daniel was wheezing, had a barking cough, and later stopped eating and drinking.
Did the hospital staff follow proper guidelines in treating Daniel?
Staff followed guidelines but admitted they should have done more observations.
Could anything have been done differently in Daniel’s treatment?
Yes, starting antibiotics earlier and more frequent observations could have helped.