Home / Health / Coroner Blasts 'Missed Opportunity' in Teen's Cardiac Arrest Death
Coroner Blasts 'Missed Opportunity' in Teen's Cardiac Arrest Death
9 Mar
Summary
- Cardiac arrest signs were unrecognized by call handler and on-site personnel.
- CPR and defibrillator use were delayed, missing crucial minutes.
- Inquest found death 'more than minimally' contributed to by this failure.
A 17-year-old footballer, Adam Ankers, died after collapsing during a match on January 31, 2024. The inquest revealed that his death was largely due to a failure to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest. Neither the 999 call handler nor those at the scene identified Adam's condition, leading to a delay in administering CPR or using a defibrillator.
Adam suffered from an undiagnosed inherited heart condition, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Agonal breathing, a key indicator of cardiac arrest, was not recognized, and his breathing was mistakenly logged as normal. A defibrillator was present but unused due to confusion about its application.
The assistant coroner is considering issuing a prevention of future deaths report to organizations like the FA and NHS England. Recommendations include mandatory cardiac arrest training for football staff and improved understanding of defibrillator use. These changes aim to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
