Parents' horror as toddler dies 24 hours after being sent home from A&E

A 22-month-old toddler tragically died in her sleep from natural causes just 24 hours after being sent home from , an inquest has concluded. Hailey Thompson's death in December 2022 was caused by and , resulting from a Group A streptococcus infection, also known as Strep A.

The jury at Bolton Coroners' Court was directed by Coroner Michael Pemberton to reach a 'natural causes' conclusion on April 4. He also instructed them to 'disregard' any suspicions they might have about the decision to send the tot home without antibiotics after being diagnosed with a viral infection.

The inquest previously heard how an expert said the decision had been 'reasonable'. After deliberating for 69 minutes, the jury of 11 returned a 'natural causes' conclusion.

They also noted there had been 'missed opportunities' for the case to be reviewed 'at primary care level', although these 'did not contribute' to the death. Mr Pemberton is set to formally write to the family's GP practice about his concerns.

Hailey was described by her parents, dad Kris Thompson and mum Ibolya Adam, from Ashton-in-Makerfield in Wigan, as a 'very funny and very happy' little girl who loved muddy puddles and dressing up, reports .

Following the verdict, the parents expressed their ongoing worries about the standard of care Hailey received in the days leading up to her tragic passing. The inquest, which kicked off on Monday. March 31, heard that the parents harboured serious doubts about her examination by an A&E doctor at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan the day before she died. They questioned whether the Strep A could have been identified and treated with antibiotics.

A few weeks prior to her death, on December 7, Hailey had come down with a cold and a cough. She was taken to the doctors and prescribed antibiotics for a suspected throat infection, which she took.

On December 9, her mum noticed a red rash on her face and neck when she picked her up from nursery. They reached out to the out-of-hours GP, but were told no appointments were available until December 13. The jury heard that a decision was made to halt Hailey's antibiotics in case she had an allergy - her older sister, Charlotte, is allergic to penicillin.

Further GP appointments were sought and she was scheduled for December 16. However, the jury was informed that she had a high temperature and a runny nose at nursery on the day and was picked up early by her mum ahead of the afternoon appointment.

A viral infection was diagnosed and they were advised to go home and give her Calpol and Ibuprofen. The jury was told her chest and throat were examined by the GP.

On December 17, the court heard that she appeared to be getting better and 'ate everything'. However, after retiring early for the night, Kris checked on her around 11.30pm and found her 'gasping for air'.

They dialled 999 and 111, but were informed of a 'two-hour' wait for advice from 111. Emergency services then called back, informing them that no ambulances were available and it would be 'preferable' for them to transport themselves to the hospital.

The court was told they arrived at A&E at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary at 1am, where they waited for four hours. After an additional hour, Hailey was examined by a doctor. The court heard that her chest was clear, but the doctor had difficulty examining her throat and tonsils.

In a statement, Ibolya claimed the doctor didn't use a torch to look down her throat and had to fetch a tongue depressor. Kris stated he informed the doctor about her previous GP visit and the diagnosis of a viral infection.

In his statement, he said Hailey was biting down on the tongue depressor and when she did open her mouth, the doctor's light wasn't correctly positioned to see down her throat. Kris described the doctor as becoming 'increasingly frustrated'. The court heard that the depressor was then forced into her mouth, causing her to 'gag' and vomit.

Kris described Hailey as 'pale and clingy', and felt the doctor had 'given up'. No blood samples were taken, no tests were conducted, and the court heard that they were not given any medication for Hailey.

The parents of a little girl were sent home at 6am and instructed to keep an eye on her after she was diagnosed with a viral infection. That evening, December 18, the child went to sleep showing 'no worrying signs' following a dose of Calpol and routine checks before the family retired for the night.

Kris last saw his daughter in her cot at midnight, noting that her breathing 'was not as laboured'. Tragically, the next morning, December 19, at 5.30am, mum Ibolya discovered Hailey cold in her cot. In a panic, Kris rushed into the bedroom and called 999, exclaiming 'she's dying', as reported to the jury. "Everything was a blur," Ibolya recounted in her statement.

Kris attempted CPR until paramedics arrived and took over. They rushed Hailey to the same hospital where she passed away around 7.35am. During the inquest, two doctors from the hospital expressed their belief that prescribing more antibiotics would have been futile as Hailey appeared to be battling a viral infection.

Sharon Taylor, a paediatric nurse, gave evidence at the inquest, highlighting that the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary was overwhelmed that night, suffering from 'low' nurse staffing levels. She mentioned that parents were flooding into the hospital 'due to publicity' about Strep A, and she remembered Hailey specifically because of her distinctive pink glasses.

A specialist witness, Dr Christopher Fitzsimmons, in testifying at the inquest, claimed that sending Hailey home that evening appeared 'reasonable' after reviewing her medical records. However, he noted that the notes were incomplete and 'sub-optimal'.

The coroner, reflecting on Dr Fitzsimmons' testimony, advised the jury to 'disregard' any doubts they might hold regarding the halt of antibiotics as there was no certainty this 'more than minimally contributed' to the tragedy.

The jury determined that Hailey sought GP advice on December 7, 2022, receiving a prescription for bacterial tonsillitis, but ceased treatment after developing a rash, presumed to be an allergic reaction.

"There were missed opportunities for this to be reviewed at primary care level, however this did not contribute to her death," found the jury. Despite remaining unwell and consulting with a GP on December 16 and A&E subsequently, she was treated for a viral infection and deemed not to need antibiotics. The jurors concluded Hailey's cause of death as sepsis from a Strep A infection which led to pneumonia in her lungs.

Speaking to the bereaved family after the jury concluded its findings, coroner Mr Pemberton said: "While the death has been found to be natural, anybody who has knowledge and knows the facts of this case will share the sadness and tragedy of it."

Parents Kris and Ibolya said after the inquest: "Over the last four days the coroner has heard evidence from Hailey's family, and the people involved in her care leading up to her tragic death on December 19, 2022. Having heard the evidence over the past few days we remain concerned about the quality of care Hailey received in the days leading up to her death.

"When we went to hospital, we didn't feel listened to... We knew our little girl was poorly. We were sure she had a chest infection, but we kept being told it was just a virus, like a cold."

Heartbreakingly, they added: "She would now be four years old. We accept the finding of the jury and we note that the GP and the hospital trust will be learning lessons from this and we hope these lessons go on to save the life of other children."

Professor Sanjay Arya, Medical Director at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, expressed his condolences. He said: "Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) would like to once again offer its condolences to Hailey's parents, and those who loved her."

He acknowledged the inquest's conclusion, adding: "Following a thorough inquest, we acknowledge the Jury's findings that Hailey's cause of death was due to natural causes. Our thoughts remain with the family during this difficult time."