An inquest jury found that NHS doctors missed opportunities to save the life of a five-month-old girl who died from meningitis. Esta High died at Leeds General Infirmary in November 2023, days after being admitted with a high temperature and vomiting. Her parents insisted their concerns were ignored and that their daughter could have survived if staff had tested sooner for a bacterial infection and initiated antibiotic treatment.
The jury concluded that Esta "died of natural causes which was contributed to by neglect." They also found that, "had Esta received required care, based on the balance of probabilities, it would have probably saved or prolonged her life." The inquest heard that opportunities were missed as doctors focused on a diagnosis of COVID-19 after Esta tested positive for the virus. The cause of death was confirmed as streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis.
Lawyers for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust acknowledged during the inquest that there had been missed opportunities to diagnose the bacterial infection and administer antibiotics. Esta's parents, Lynsey Carr and Leon High, told Wakefield Coroner's Court that their daughter, described as a "happy, healthy, smiling girl," became ill on October 31, 2023. They took her to Leeds General Infirmary with a high temperature and vomiting, and she subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.
Ms. Carr recounted how the family was placed in a side room where she felt staff were more concerned with isolating Esta due to COVID-19 risks than with her parents' concerns. Despite Esta's temperature soaring above 40 degrees Celsius and persistent vomiting, the parents refused doctors' advice to take her home. Ms. Carr noted that her daughter developed a rash and experienced arm shaking, which she feared was a seizure.
"We were extremely worried and kept asking for help, but staff were rude and didn't listen to our concerns," Ms. Carr told the jury, describing the 15 hours on the children's assessment and treatment unit as "filled with missed opportunities."
By the late afternoon of November 2, Esta could not be roused. Scans and tests revealed evidence of meningoencephalitis and streptococcus pneumoniae. Esta was transferred to intensive care, but attempts to save her were too late, and she died on November 6. "Unfortunately, as our daughter had been left untreated for 55 hours, it was too late to save our darling girl," Ms. Carr stated.
In a statement read outside court, Ms. Carr said that during the hospital stay, her and her husband felt they were their daughter's voice but were not listened to, instead being made to feel like anxious or overprotective parents. "All we wanted was for Esta to get better and return home," she said. The decision to withdraw life support, made on the advice of intensive care staff, was devastating, and Esta died between her parents. "We felt so blessed that Esta was our daughter and for her to be taken away so cruelly is something we'll never get over," the statement read.
Ms. Carr expressed hope that sharing their story could help improve care for others, emphasizing, "Parents know their children better than anyone, and when they say something isn't right, they need to be listened to and taken seriously." Solicitor Joe Haley of Irwin Mitchell stated that while nothing can compensate for the parents' pain, they have received answers, and it is vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety.
Dr. Elizabeth Garthwaite, chief medical officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, issued a formal apology, stating, "We are deeply sorry that we failed Esta and her family, and offer our sincere and heartfelt condolences to Lynsey and Leon following the tragic death of their daughter." Dr. Garthwaite acknowledged that serious failures occurred in Esta's care with devastating consequences and pledged that the trust would carefully consider the coroner's findings and recommendations to take necessary action to improve patient safety.