An inquest jury has concluded that neglect played a part in the death of five-month-old Esta High, who died of meningitis at Leeds General Infirmary in November 2023 after hospital staff missed opportunities to save or prolong her life.
Esta was brought to the emergency department with a high temperature and vomiting days before her death. Her parents, Lynsey Carr and Leon High, said doctors failed to seize crucial chances to test for a bacterial infection and administer life-saving antibiotics.
Jury's findings
On Tuesday, an inquest jury of five women and six men determined that Esta "died of natural causes which was contributed to by neglect" and that a different course of treatment would probably have "saved or prolonged her life". The jury found that opportunities were overlooked as medical staff persisted with a Covid diagnosis after she tested positive for coronavirus.
There was no dispute that Esta's cause of death was streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis. Lawyers for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust acknowledged during the inquest that chances to identify the bacterial infection and administer antibiotics had been missed.
Parents' account
Ms Carr told the jury that Esta was a "happy, healthy, smiling girl" before falling ill on October 31 2023. The family, from Leeds, rushed her to Leeds General Infirmary, where she tested positive for Covid and was placed in a side room at the children's assessment and treatment (CAT) unit. Ms Carr said staff seemed more focused on isolating Esta due to the Covid risk than on the parents' concerns.
She said she and Mr High rejected doctors' advice to take Esta home, as her temperature climbed to over 40 degrees and she would not stop vomiting. Her daughter developed a rash and her arm began shaking, which Ms Carr feared was a seizure. Mr High recorded the arm movements, and the footage was shown to the jury.
Ms Carr told the jury "we were extremely worried" and "we kept asking for help", but "staff were rude and don't listen to our concerns". She described Esta's time on the CAT unit as "15 hours that were filled with missed opportunities".
Final days
By late afternoon on 2 November, Esta could not be woken, and scans and tests revealed evidence of meningoencephalitis and streptococcus pneumoniae. She was transferred to intensive care, but Ms Carr said it was too late. Esta died on 6 November.
Ms Carr told the jury: "Unfortunately, as our daughter had been left untreated for 55 hours, it was too late to save our darling girl." She described Esta as "bright, beautiful and perfect from the first moment", adding: "Her smile lit up every room – especially in the mornings when she woke as if full of joy just to see us again." She said Esta "brought happiness everywhere she went" and "made us a family of three and we were excited for every moment ahead. In just five months, Esta touched the lives of everyone who met her."
