Fury as three-year-old girl died 10 hours after being admitted to A&E because ‘doctors failed to recognise her symptoms’

A grieving family is seeking long-awaited answers at an inquest into the death of their three-year-old daughter who died after doctors failed to spot that she had sepsis.

Zadie Ajetunmobi was taken to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, in November 2022 with a high temperature but died ten hours later after a cardiac arrest.

Her devastated family were unaware she had died from sepsis until post-mortem results two months later showed she had the deadly infection.

They now believe her death could have been avoided had she received the correct treatment at A&E.

Tomorrow an inquest will examine the hospital’s sepsis treatment policies and any systemic failings in its treatment of Zadie.

Her parents, Theo and Rhiannon, have been left for more than two years agonising over what happened to their daughter.

‘She was a thriving, healthy child,’ her father said. ‘There was no mention of sepsis, so afterwards we were left in limbo trying to deduce what happened.’

Zadie had initially been seen for a raised temperature and sore throat by an out-of-hours GP at Broomfield Hospital who diagnosed her with tonsillitis and sent her home with antibiotics.

Three days later, Mrs Ajetunmobi took her back to A&E with a soaring temperature on the advice of 111.

But her father said doctors failed to administer antibiotics for more than seven hours after Zadie arrived at 10pm. She passed away at 7.42am.

Mr Ajetunmobi said the family received a ‘roots cause analysis investigation’ report in March 2023 in which Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust was said to have accepted that there had been a delay in administering antibiotics.

Zadie was rushed to Broomfield Hospital (pictued) with a high temperature but died ten hours later after a cardiac arrest

The Trust also admitted having failed to update its guidance on tackling sepsis – had this been done, Zadie would have triggered the sepsis treatment ‘pathway’ when she was assessed in A&E.

The family is hoping to finally receive some clarity at the two-day inquest, after their lawyers from Kingsley Napley successfully argued that it should be held.

Diane Sarkar, the Trust’s chief nursing and quality officer, said: ‘We took action to ensure better processes were in place.’

SIX MAJOR SIGNS OF SEPSIS

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused when the body releases chemicals to fight an infection.

These chemicals damage the body’s own tissues and organs and can lead to shock, organ failure and death. 

Organ failure and death are more likely if sepsis is not recognized early and treated immediately.

Sepsis infects an estimated 55,000 Australians each year, killing between 5,000 and 9,000 making it more than four times deadlier than the road toll.

The symptoms can look like gastro or flu and can become deadly, rapidly.

The six major signs of something potentially deadly can be identified by the acronym ‘SEPSIS’:

• Slurred speech or confusion, lethargy, disorientation
• Extreme shivering or muscle pain, fever or low temperature
• Pressing a rash doesn’t make it fade
• Severe breathlessness, rapid breathing
• Inability to pass urine for several hours 
• Skin that’s mottled or discoloured  

Children may also show convulsions or fits, and a rash that doesn’t fade when you press it – and more than 40 per cent of cases occur in children under five. 

Anyone who develops these symptoms should seek medical help urgently — and ask doctors: ‘Could this be sepsis?’ 

Sepsis is a leading cause of avoidable death killing about 10,000 Australians each year

The early symptoms of sepsis can be easily confused with more mild conditions, making it difficult to diagnose. 

A high temperature (fever), chills and shivering, a fast heartbeat and rapid breathing are also indicators. 

A patient can rapidly deteriorate if sepsis is missed early on, so quick diagnosis and treatment is vital – yet this rarely happens. 

In the early stages, sepsis can be mistaken for a chest infection, flu or upset stomach. 

It is most common and dangerous in older adults, pregnant women, children younger than one, people with chronic conditions or those who have weakened immune systems.