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| Leicester doctor convicted over death of six-year-old boy | Leicester doctor convicted over death of six-year-old boy |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A jury has found a doctor guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of a six-year-old boy. | A jury has found a doctor guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of a six-year-old boy. |
| Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, 38, of Leicester, was accused of medical failings in the death of Jack Adcock after he was admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 18 February 2011 with severe vomiting, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties. She was found guilty on Wednesday by a 10-2 majority verdict after the jury deliberated for nearly 25 hours. | Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, 38, of Leicester, was accused of medical failings in the death of Jack Adcock after he was admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 18 February 2011 with severe vomiting, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties. She was found guilty on Wednesday by a 10-2 majority verdict after the jury deliberated for nearly 25 hours. |
| Sister Theresa Taylor, 55, of Leicester, was found not guilty of the same charge | Sister Theresa Taylor, 55, of Leicester, was found not guilty of the same charge |
| During the trial, the jury heard how Bawa-Garba, an experienced paediatrician, had mistaken Jack for another patient she had treated that day marked “do not resuscitate” (DNR) and stopped life-saving treatment on the boy. It was only restarted when a junior doctor pointed out her mistake. | During the trial, the jury heard how Bawa-Garba, an experienced paediatrician, had mistaken Jack for another patient she had treated that day marked “do not resuscitate” (DNR) and stopped life-saving treatment on the boy. It was only restarted when a junior doctor pointed out her mistake. |
| Jack’s parents Nicola and Victor Adcock cheered as Bawa-Garba was found guilty. In an emotional tribute to her son on the steps of Nottingham crown court, Nicola Adcock said: “Our son Jack was a lively and energetic little boy. The room lit up when he walked in with his cheeky smile and his cheeky ways. He drew people to him like a magnet. | Jack’s parents Nicola and Victor Adcock cheered as Bawa-Garba was found guilty. In an emotional tribute to her son on the steps of Nottingham crown court, Nicola Adcock said: “Our son Jack was a lively and energetic little boy. The room lit up when he walked in with his cheeky smile and his cheeky ways. He drew people to him like a magnet. |
| “Our life now is empty, painful and will never be the same again. To say that we miss him does not do justice to our strength of feeling - Jack was an amazing son and one in a million. | “Our life now is empty, painful and will never be the same again. To say that we miss him does not do justice to our strength of feeling - Jack was an amazing son and one in a million. |
| “We have always believed that someone needed to be held accountable for what happened to our son. The guilty verdicts will bring us some closure but the void that has been left in our lives will remain.” | “We have always believed that someone needed to be held accountable for what happened to our son. The guilty verdicts will bring us some closure but the void that has been left in our lives will remain.” |
| Isabel Amaro, an agency nurse, was found guilty of gross negligence on Monday. Amaro, 47, of Manchester, who had worked with children for 20 years, accepted that she breached her duty of care but denied that any of her failings significantly contributed to the youngster’s death. Bawa-Garba and Amaro will be sentenced at a later date. | Isabel Amaro, an agency nurse, was found guilty of gross negligence on Monday. Amaro, 47, of Manchester, who had worked with children for 20 years, accepted that she breached her duty of care but denied that any of her failings significantly contributed to the youngster’s death. Bawa-Garba and Amaro will be sentenced at a later date. |
| The boy, who had Down’s syndrome, died 11 hours after being admitted to hospital following a heart attack brought on by “septic shock” due to a virulent form of pneumonia. | The boy, who had Down’s syndrome, died 11 hours after being admitted to hospital following a heart attack brought on by “septic shock” due to a virulent form of pneumonia. |
| The jury heard three weeks of evidence about the staff members who prosecutors alleged breached their legal duty of care to the boy from Glen Parva, Leicester, in a series of gross failures in his treatment. | The jury heard three weeks of evidence about the staff members who prosecutors alleged breached their legal duty of care to the boy from Glen Parva, Leicester, in a series of gross failures in his treatment. |
| At the start of the trial, Andrew Thomas QC, prosecuting, said: “Under their care, Jack’s condition needlessly declined to a point where, before he had been transferred to the next ward, he was effectively beyond the point of no return. If the defendants had recognised the severity of Jack’s illness and the fact he was in shock, if they had re-assessed him and acted on the findings, the risk of death would have been very greatly reduced.” | At the start of the trial, Andrew Thomas QC, prosecuting, said: “Under their care, Jack’s condition needlessly declined to a point where, before he had been transferred to the next ward, he was effectively beyond the point of no return. If the defendants had recognised the severity of Jack’s illness and the fact he was in shock, if they had re-assessed him and acted on the findings, the risk of death would have been very greatly reduced.” |
| During the trial Thomas said that Bawa-Garba’s mistaking of Jack for another patient who was marked “do not resuscitate” was a remarkable error, adding that while Jack was “beyond the point of no return” and that resuscitation was futile, it suggested Bawa-Garba had not given the youngster sufficient care. Bawa-Garba said working without a break could have led to her mistakenly believing Jack was under a DNR order when he was not. | During the trial Thomas said that Bawa-Garba’s mistaking of Jack for another patient who was marked “do not resuscitate” was a remarkable error, adding that while Jack was “beyond the point of no return” and that resuscitation was futile, it suggested Bawa-Garba had not given the youngster sufficient care. Bawa-Garba said working without a break could have led to her mistakenly believing Jack was under a DNR order when he was not. |
| In the DNR incident, Jack had collapsed at 7.45pm, when prosecutors said his lips had started to turn blue and a paediatric arrest team was summoned. | In the DNR incident, Jack had collapsed at 7.45pm, when prosecutors said his lips had started to turn blue and a paediatric arrest team was summoned. |
| Thomas said: “During this critical period an event occurred which you may think is powerful evidence of Dr Bawa-Garba’s performance that day. When she came into the bay, almost immediately she called the resuscitation off. She told the other doctors Jack had been marked down as do not resuscitate earlier in the day.” | Thomas said: “During this critical period an event occurred which you may think is powerful evidence of Dr Bawa-Garba’s performance that day. When she came into the bay, almost immediately she called the resuscitation off. She told the other doctors Jack had been marked down as do not resuscitate earlier in the day.” |
| A first-year doctor then re-read the notes and said she could not see a DNR entry. | A first-year doctor then re-read the notes and said she could not see a DNR entry. |
| In a key exchange, Thomas asked Bawa-Garba: “Did you ask anyone what is the name of the patient you were treating?” She replied: “No.” | In a key exchange, Thomas asked Bawa-Garba: “Did you ask anyone what is the name of the patient you were treating?” She replied: “No.” |
| Thomas then asked: “When you arrived, you could see the face of the little boy being resuscitated?” The doctor said: “I cannot recall whether I saw the face or not. I could see a small room, an oxygen mask, it’s an emotionally charged environment.” | Thomas then asked: “When you arrived, you could see the face of the little boy being resuscitated?” The doctor said: “I cannot recall whether I saw the face or not. I could see a small room, an oxygen mask, it’s an emotionally charged environment.” |
| Thomas said: “Is it symptomatic of your behaviour that day that you rushed to a decision without checking?” She said: “It’s not that. It’s a reflection of how long I had been working without a break.” | Thomas said: “Is it symptomatic of your behaviour that day that you rushed to a decision without checking?” She said: “It’s not that. It’s a reflection of how long I had been working without a break.” |
| Blood test results on Jack showed abnormally high levels of urea and creatinine, which would have suggested problems with the youngster’s kidneys and cast doubts on an initial diagnosis of gastroenteritis and moderate dehydration. | Blood test results on Jack showed abnormally high levels of urea and creatinine, which would have suggested problems with the youngster’s kidneys and cast doubts on an initial diagnosis of gastroenteritis and moderate dehydration. |
| Asked if she accepted that she missed the results, Bawa-Garba said: “I have thought and reflected on this and yes, I did miss those results.” | Asked if she accepted that she missed the results, Bawa-Garba said: “I have thought and reflected on this and yes, I did miss those results.” |
| The prosecution had said the failings of each of the defendants contributed significantly to the boy’s death. Thomas said Bawa-Garba also failed to offer clear direction to her team, or call on the assistance of a senior consultant. | The prosecution had said the failings of each of the defendants contributed significantly to the boy’s death. Thomas said Bawa-Garba also failed to offer clear direction to her team, or call on the assistance of a senior consultant. |
| He said Taylor, who was the first to see Jack, should have “realised that he was seriously ill and required treatment as a medical emergency”, while Amaro, who trained in Portugal and was registered as an adult nurse, “wrongly indicated that his case was ‘low-level concern’, despite the fact Jack needed high levels oxygen”. | He said Taylor, who was the first to see Jack, should have “realised that he was seriously ill and required treatment as a medical emergency”, while Amaro, who trained in Portugal and was registered as an adult nurse, “wrongly indicated that his case was ‘low-level concern’, despite the fact Jack needed high levels oxygen”. |
| Andrew Furlong, interim medical director and children’s orthopaedic surgeon at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said improvements had been made since Jack died. | Andrew Furlong, interim medical director and children’s orthopaedic surgeon at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said improvements had been made since Jack died. |
| He added: “We cannot bring Jack back and under the circumstances saying sorry does not seem enough. Nevertheless, we are deeply sorry and would like to again send our condolences to the Adcock family.” | He added: “We cannot bring Jack back and under the circumstances saying sorry does not seem enough. Nevertheless, we are deeply sorry and would like to again send our condolences to the Adcock family.” |
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