Jacob Butler, a 14-year-old schoolboy, suffered a 15-centimetre hole in his leg after contracting necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease, following a swim in a lake known as the Blue Lagoon in Colliers Moss Park, near Burtonwood, Warrington, Cheshire. The infection nearly led to the amputation of his leg and left a permanent deformity.
Cut leads to life-threatening infection
On 30 April, Jacob jumped into the lake and his right leg caught on a submerged piece of wire, cutting it down to the bone just below the knee. A nearby fisherman used a T-shirt to stem the bleeding before paramedics arrived. Jacob was airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital and underwent emergency surgery the next morning to clean and stitch the wound. He was discharged several days later.
However, on 13 May, his mother Rebecca Butler, 33, noticed a foul odour coming from the wound. “It smelt like death, it was horrific,” she said. She rushed Jacob back to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed necrotising fasciitis caused by the bacterium Aeromonas Hydrophila, commonly found in brackish water such as lakes and rivers. The infection had already consumed about 15 centimetres of muscle, leaving bone exposed.
Multiple surgeries and long recovery
Jacob underwent five hours of surgery to remove the infected tissue. Surgeons later performed a calf muscle transfer, relocating muscle from the back to the front of his leg, and applied a skin graft harvested from his right thigh. Rebecca described the ordeal: “At one point there were what looked like 30 doctors and surgeons in the room all discussing his leg. All the worst-case scenarios were flying around my head.”
Doctors told Rebecca that if she had delayed bringing Jacob to the hospital, the infection could have been fatal. “The whole ordeal has been devastating for me as a mum. I honestly thought he was going to die, and to be told he could have if I hadn't brought him to the hospital keeps me up at night,” she said.
Warning to others
Rebecca has since created an Instagram page, JacobsWaterWarning, to raise awareness about the dangers of open water. “Water safety is real and no joke. Our hearts go out to all of the young children who have recently lost their lives in lake tragedies,” she said. Jacob also urged young people to stay away from open water during summer. “Please don't jump into open water as it can be very dangerous, I could have lost my leg or worse,” he said.
Necrotising fasciitis, according to the NHS, is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening infection that affects deeper layers of skin. Aeromonas Hydrophila enters the body through cuts or wounds. Jacob's leg is now permanently deformed, but his mother said he is “recovering well” and improving daily.
