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Hospital Trust Admits Gross Neglect in 21-Month-Old's Death
1 Nov
Summary
- 24 failures occurred in the care of a 21-month-old at Alder Hey Hospital.
- A collapsed lung was not identified or treated before cardiac arrest.
- The family lives with unbearable guilt and trauma following the death.
A hospital trust has accepted full responsibility for 24 failures that resulted in the death of a 21-month-old, Eleanor Hazel Aldred-Owen, at Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital on October 2, 2023. A coroner concluded her death was a misadventure, compounded by neglect. Eleanor had undergone routine surgery for craniosynostosis when complications arose, including an abnormal chest X-ray that was not flagged. She suffered a cardiac arrest and brain injury, ultimately dying in her parents' arms.
Her family, from Mold, Flintshire, described their ongoing "unbearable" guilt and trauma. Alder Hey Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged the "tragic" death "should not have happened." Key failures included missed PEWS scores and a failure to escalate grossly abnormal X-ray findings, leading to delayed treatment for a collapsed lung. The trust has since implemented changes, including new post-operative procedures named after Eleanor, as part of her legacy.
