Charlie Parsons, 6, did not die from meningitis, coroner rules
7:00am Tuesday 13th January 2009
A six-year-old who was thought to have died from meningitis in fact died from an aggressive bacterial infection, a coroner has ruled.
Anthony Parsons and Tina Gaskin were devastated when their daughter Charlie Parsons was struck down in June last year and, fearing it had missed a meningitis diagnosis, St George’s Hospital in Tooting immediately launched an investigation.
Charlie, of Ingrave Street, Battersea, was at London Zoo on a school trip with her All Farthing School classmates on June 27 when she fainted.
Complaining of a stiff neck she was taken to a drop in centre at St George’s Hospital and referred to the hospital’s A&E, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard last Wednesday.
Family friends were at the court to hear the A&E doctor who diagnosed Charlie give evidence.
Doctor Eloise Helm heard the girl had a history of viral infections and bronchilitis but, after examining her and referring to a colleague, concluded she didn’t have meningitis as she didn’t exhibit classic symptoms - including sensitivity to light and a high temperature.
Charlie was sent home with painkillers but collapsed at home on Sunday, June 30. She deteriorated on the way to St George’s and, despite attempts to resuscitate her, died at the hospital.
A post mortem revealed she had nearly a pint of pus in her right lung, but an investigation to accurately test what toxins were present in the body took three months, the inquest heard.
Those results showed Charlie had an aggressive septicimic bug, which surfaced quickly and was undetectable.
Coroner Doctor Shirley Radcliffe said: “In my experience as a coroner I have to say the hospital record note by doctor Helm is one of the best I have seen . . . all the right questions were asked.”
Recording a death from natural causes Dr Radcliffe concluded: “It is the most tragic incident, to lose a six-year-old child in such a difficult way and then to live with the fact that this is a case where something should have been done differently. The family couldn’t move on . . . I can’t think of anything more tragic, but hopefully we have provided them with some of the answers to questions they might have.”