The GP sent Mia home twice and instructed her mother to give her fluids and ibuprofen
An eight-year-old girl tragically died of sepsis hours after her GP twice sent her home and told her mother to hydrate her and give her ibuprofen because the hospital was full. Mia Glynn was taken to the GP twice within four hours, and despite Group A Strep symptoms, her parents were told to take her home.
On the second visit, Mia was discharged with antibiotics after being told the hospital was full and they would be left waiting in the corridor.
Mia’s worried parents Soron, 39, and Katie, 37, initially took her to the GP because she was vomiting, suffering from a severe headache and complaining of a sore throat. By the time of the second visit, he had not eaten properly for another three days, had an elevated heart rate, decreased urine output, and was sleepy.
His worried parents questioned whether he had contracted Group A Strep, which was widespread at the time.
Mia’s worried parents took her to the GP because she was vomiting
Despite their concerns, the doctor advised Katie to hydrate Mia and give her ibuprofen and told her not to start the antibiotics until Mia went to bed. The schoolgirl, who continued to feel unwell, slept in her parents’ bed that night but woke up in the early hours of the morning and appeared agitated.
A confused Mia had rashes on her hands and feet and blue lips, she complained of the heat but was cold to the touch. Soron and Katie from Biddulph, Staffs called an ambulance and paramedics rushed Mia to hospital where she was given IV fluids and antibiotics.
Tragically, he went into suspected septic shock and went into cardiac arrest just 15 minutes after arriving at the hospital. Despite the efforts of doctors to save him, he died about 20 minutes later; the cause of death was sepsis due to group A Strep infection.
After enduring unimaginable grief, her parents Soron and Katie have now bravely spoken out about the “devastating” loss of Mia, their “beautiful” daughter.
Mia died of sepsis hours after being sent home twice
Katie, a self-employed hairdresser, said: “Our world and our hearts were shattered forever when our beautiful daughter was taken from us. Mia had been taken to the doctor twice to be told her symptoms were viral. About 15 hours later she died of sepsis.
“The incredible and unbearable pain we feel is inexplicable and unfathomable. Our beautiful healthy girl was the happiest, brightest, most loving and caring girl who smiled, danced, brought joy and love to everyone she met. She brought so much laughter and fun.”
Katie said: “We will never get over the pain of losing Mia, especially in this way. Our family will never be the same without Mia. She had her whole life ahead of her and she was taken from us in the cruelest way imaginable.”
“The fact that she never gets to mark life’s milestones like passing exams, getting married and starting a job will live with us forever. When we took Mia for surgery, we asked if she needed urgent care. Now we’re left. We wonder if more could have been done to help Mia. Our hearts ache every second after Mia’s cardiac arrest, but we will always make sure Mia is remembered in the most special way.
Mia had a bad headache and she had complained of a sore throat
Engineering teacher Soron added: “Seeing Mia in her last moments was terrible. We are so blessed to have her as our daughter, but we are absolutely heartbroken that Mia was taken from us so soon.”
“A lot of people may have heard of sepsis, but it wasn’t until what happened to Mia that we realized how dangerous it is. We started researching and reading more about it and it was clear to us that Mia had the red flag symptoms of sepsis, but we weren’t told to take her to the hospital .
“It’s a sad reality that we have families like ours who suffer loss from sepsis. This needs to change. We need to educate the public and healthcare professionals to recognize the signs of sepsis.”
Mia started complaining of a sore throat on 5 December 2022. Her parents took her to the GP on 8 December around 8:30 in the morning because she had developed a fever and a severe headache.
The family have donated more than £16,000 to the UK Sepsis Trust charity.
The nurse told Katie that Mia’s symptoms were viral and recommended giving her daughter fluids and paracetamol. Katie returned to surgery with Mia just after noon. After being examined by a general practitioner, they were sent home. Soron and Katie called an ambulance just after 3 am on December 9, 2022. Tragically, Mia died that morning.
Irwin Mitchell medical negligence solicitor Victoria Zinzan, representing the couple, said: “Mia was a much-loved daughter and sister whose death has had a devastating effect on her family.
“Understandably, her loved ones still have a number of concerns about her death and the circumstances surrounding it. Unfortunately, through our work, we see too many families affected by sepsis; Mia’s death vividly highlights the dangers of the condition. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to beating sepsis, so it is vital that people know , what signs to look out for to detect this incredibly dangerous and life-threatening condition.”
In honor of Mia, family and supporters raised more than £40,000 through events and corporate donations. They have generously donated over £16,000 to the UK Sepsis Trust.
To keep her spirit alive, Soron and Katie launched the charity aiM – a tribute to Mia.