The family of a two-year-old boy who died from sepsis after doctors misdiagnosed him with constipation have won a payout after suing the NHS. Hudson Cole Perrins was rushed to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton by his worried father after he began complaining of stomach pain in June 2024.
Doctors concluded he was suffering from constipation and sent him home after treating him with two suppositories and an enema. Tragically, Hudson died four days later at Birmingham Children's Hospital from multiple organ failure and sepsis, brought on by a urinary tract infection.
Settlement after two-year fight
Following a two-year fight for justice, his mother Kayleigh Taundry secured an undisclosed settlement after Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust admitted failings in the care it provided, reports Birmingham Live.
Kayleigh, from Willenhall, was a nurse with the trust for 18 years but resigned in April claiming it had failed her son. She said: "It's devastating to think that on top of everything else, Hudson was left in pain in his last few days when it didn't need to happen.
"Nothing will bring Hudson back, but it means a great deal to finally have it accepted that he should have been given pain relief and that his catheter should have been checked properly. I hope this settlement, and the failures it has brought to light, mean lessons are genuinely learned so another family doesn't have to go through what we have."
Failings in care
Kayleigh stressed she did not hold Hudson's father responsible for what happened during his initial hospital visit but said medical personnel should have made greater attempts to reach her as her son's next-of-kin. Hudson had bladder and kidney complications and a cardiac condition.
She claimed hospital personnel pursued the "obvious" path of diagnosing and managing constipation rather than exploring alternative possibilities, despite limited evidence of constipation. And she alleged Hudson's death might have been avoided if staff at New Cross had given him pain relief and examined him thoroughly.
Inquest and trust response
An inquest held in December 2024 decided Hudson died from natural causes, with Black Country Coroner Kelly Dixon hearing the trust had failed to follow its own procedures when Hudson initially underwent assessment in A&E.
Kayleigh previously said: "He was one month from turning three. He was cheeky and boisterous, but really loving as well. He really loved a cuddle and was really affectionate. He was our baby. Hudson was born with a heart defect and had to undergo surgery at seven-months-old. We thought that would be the worst hurdle he would have to overcome.
"He was finally turning a corner. He was finally catching up, he was finally starting to develop alongside his peers, he was finally starting to talk and we just didn't expect this at all. We are all still in denial. I can't put it into words - he was a beautiful boy."
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust denied its diagnosis, and its choice not to conduct further investigation, constituted a breach of duty. It accepted Hudson should have received pain relief sooner and that staff should have monitored how much fluid was draining into his catheter bag, but did not accept either oversight led to his death.
Michael Portman-Hann, from law firm FBC Manby Bowdler, which acted on behalf of the family, said: "While the trust maintains these failures didn't affect the eventual outcome for Hudson, his family will always be left wondering whether he suffered more than he should have in his final days, and that is something no parent should have to carry."
A trust spokesperson said: "As this claim is an ongoing matter it would not be appropriate for the trust to comment at this time."
