Home / Health / WA Baby's Death: Inquest Called For
WA Baby's Death: Inquest Called For
29 Jun
Summary
- Eight-month-old Willow Horne died at Kalgoorlie Health Campus.
- Internal probe found multiple opportunities to escalate care were missed.
- Health Minister supports a coronial inquest into the infant's death.
An eight-month-old baby, Willow Katarina Horne, died at the Kalgoorlie Health Campus in WA's Goldfields in September of the previous year. She had been admitted with respiratory difficulties.
Her parents remain without answers, as an examination by the WA Country Health Service could not definitively establish the cause of death. The baby's mother expressed a belief that more could have been done to save her daughter's life.
An internal investigation by the WA Country Health Service uncovered "multiple opportunities" where baby Willow's care could have been escalated. The findings suggest potential systemic failures.
Health Minister Meredith Hammat has offered her condolences to the family. She stated she would welcome a coronial inquest, viewing such processes as crucial for identifying improvements and preventing future tragedies.
While the cause of death remains formally unconfirmed, the WA Country Health Service's executive director of clinical excellence indicated that a panel believed the death was likely due to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. This condition is rare, difficult to diagnose, and carries a high fatality rate, particularly in young children.
