Neglect by Whiston Hospital contributed to baby Evie Crandle's death, rules coroner

Evie Crandle, from Whiston, died in April 2018 two days after being taken to the hospital's accident and emergency department showing symptoms of sepsis.

Assistant coroner Julie Goulding found a number of failures including "failure to recognise just how ill Evie was" by some hospital staff, who believed Evie had a urinary infection, the BBC reports.

Evie with her parents

The coroner ruled that Evie died from natural causes contributed to by neglect.

Evie's mother Sam McNeice said it was not nice to hear how badly neglected her daughter was at the inquest and that she had mixed emotions after the coroner's ruling.

"Although it was a relief that someone's listening to you finally, and they've understood what happened wasn't right, it was not nice to hear that she was so badly neglected," she said.

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said it "unreservedly apologised for the shortfalls in her care" and that action plans have been "implemented to ensure lessons have been learned".

Baby Evie 

Diane Rostron, medical negligence lawyer from Addie's Solicitors who represented the family, said: "A finding of neglect by the coroner is rare. The lack of care has to be extremely severe.

"Evie’s  parents sought medical help at the first signs of sepsis. They took her to the emergency department in good time for her life to be saved.

"In the following 16 hours numerous opportunities were missed to save her life and many many mistakes made.

"A simple infusion of IV antibiotics and fluids would have saved her.

"The failure to provide this in an adequately staffed children’s emergency department over such a long period of time is truly dreadful and the coroners ruling of neglect reflects this.

"I was specifically instructed to represent the family at the inquest and assist them with that process.

"The Trust shortly before Christmas made an unprompted admission of liability and issued a written apology to the parents.

"I will be discussing that admission with the parents in due course but the focus of the last three months has been the inquest and obtaining a neglect verdict."

A spokesperson for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “The Trust offers its sincere condolences to Evie’s family for their devastating loss, and has unreservedly apologised for the shortfalls in her care.

"When Evie first attended A&E it was not anticipated that her condition would deteriorate so seriously.

"Sepsis is a rare and difficult condition to diagnose with symptoms similar to those of many childhood illnesses.

"Following Evie’s death, an immediate and thorough investigation was carried out.

"The Trust accepted that Evie’s care could have been improved and shared those finding with Evie’s parents.

"Action plans have been implemented to ensure lessons have been learned.”