Mother alleges her baby died because of negligence

Lower Questelles resident Juanita Harry is considering legal action against the State after alleging that it was negligence on the part of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) that resulted in the death of her one-year-old son, Kadrian John.

“I can’t leave it like this! This is the height of negligence. My son is dead and I want {{more}}answers,” an upset Harry told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.

According to a post mortem report dated June 10, 2015, Kadrian died as a result of “acute gastro-enteritis of severe dehydration”.

According to the distraught woman, Kadrian was admitted to the MCMH on June 1, to be treated for a condition called Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH).

CAH a genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in the hormones cortisol and aldosterone and an over-production of the hormone androgen, which is present at birth and affects sexual development.

According to the free medical dictionary online, in its most severe form, called salt-wasting CAH, a life-threatening adrenal crisis can occur if the disorder is untreated.

Adrenal crisis can cause dehydration, shock, and death within 14 days of birth.

“He was admitted because he went to do a test to check his electrolytes, where you see how your sodium level is,” she said.

Harry said her son’s sodium was listed at 120, which she said was “low”.

“They called [a named doctor] and she said they had to admit my child because his sodium is low and that they will give him sodium to carry it back up,” Harry added.

Two days later, on June 3, she recalled her son’s sodium level had increased to 131.

“It went up, but they wanted to do a CT scan on Friday (June 5), so they said they will hold him.”

That same day, Harry said her son became ill and began vomiting uncontrollably and also had diarrhoea.

“That happened the Wednesday evening. The doctors told me not to give him anything to eat. I must allow his stomach to rest,” Harry said, adding that she never left her son’s side since the day he was admitted.

The following morning, she said the doctor assigned certain tasks to the nurses.

“This was to change his IV (Intravenous fluids) and put up a different one so he won’t get dehydrated,” she told SEARCHLIGHT.

However, Harry said that task was never done.

“I was there all this time. By the time Friday morning, the doctor passed and saw that there was no IV. It was in the note. She said how come they didn’t change his IV and it is written here.

“I peeped over and I saw the assignment written there for the IV to be changed.

“They (doctors) started looking for a vein, but they couldn’t find any. They picked him up and carried him in a room. I watched him change colour and die,” the mother said in a low tone of voice.

Harry said the doctors made an attempt to resuscitate Kadrian, but to no avail.

The visibly upset mother says she has been asking for answers relating to her son’s death, but none have been forthcoming.

“The head doctor told me that she did not expect the child to die because they didn’t leave him in any condition to die. The nurse was there that morning and made the rounds with the doctor. That morning when he took sick, I saw her. But when he died, she was no where there.

“It is either they are aware of it and send her away. I don’t know, but it seems like it is that to me. My child was not sick to that extent to die. How could a child die at a hospital from dehydration? There was a note saying the IV should change,” a furious Harry said.

The mother of five said she is hurting deeply because she never imagined leaving the hospital without her child.

“For them to tell me that my child die, the pain is unbearable. It is unbearable. I have children, if I never know what love is, he showed me. The last thing he did when I saw him alive was blow me a kiss. He always did that,” she said.

“Imagine I had to go home and tell my other kids that their brother is no longer with them. You know how that hurts?

“My 10 year-old son is even thinking about killing himself. They are taking it hard. How am I supposed to feel towards that?” Harry questioned.

When contacted, MCMH administrator Grace Walters told SEARCHLIGHT that no complaint has been lodged with the hospital pertaining to the matter.

“Miss Harry has not come to lodge a complaint to us, so I can’t comment on what she is claiming,” Walters said.

Asked if she was aware of the matter, Walters responded, “I am not going to comment.”