'They failed her so cruelly': Mother of sepsis-stricken teenager says daughter should be alive
Chloe's mother Louise Longster talks to ITV News Anglia
The mother of a teenage girl who died of sepsis has criticised the hospital which "failed her so cruelly", after an inquest found that neglect contributed to her death.
Chloe Longster, 13, died of sepsis at Kettering General Hospital in Northamptonshire in November 2022, 18 hours after being admitted with severe pain in her ribs and tummy and cold-like symptoms.
Her mother Louise Longster said that "Chloe shouldn't have died" and hoped that her daughter's "horrific experience" would be "acknowledged for what it was."
At Northampton Coroners Court, assistant coroner Sophie Lomas citied a string of 'missed opportunities' in her care and said that if treatment was given to the teenager earlier then "it was more likely than not she would have survived."
The missed opportunities included delays to her sepsis screening and treatment, and delays to prescribe and administer the correct antibiotics.
After the inquest her family said that were pleased with the coroner's findings and that Chloe's experience was finally heard.
"No child will ever have to suffer again in the way she did" said Louise.
"She should have been safe she should’ve been in the safest place. Lessons must truly be learnt."
The hospital has since apologised for failings in Chloe's care.
The week-long inquest heard how the schoolgirl asked her mum 'if she would die" while being treated on the hospital's Skylark Ward.
Mrs Longster said she did not feel her that her daughter got the treatment she needed.
She told the inquest it felt as though they were just "a nuisance", adding that it felt as though Chloe was not taken seriously and that staff did not acknowledge how much pain she was in.
“It felt very much like Chloe was viewed as a melodramatic teenager" she said.
"That she was just being dramatic. Chloe wasn’t being dramatic she was desperate - I have never seen her in so much pain.
"She asked me if they could knock her out. She asked me if she was going to die. That’s how frightened she was. I told them that - to try and get them to understand - but it felt like it just didn’t work.”
Chloe’s family say they have waited two years for answers, and for those 18 hours in the hospital to be scrutinised by a coroner.
They believe their daughter - an otherwise healthy child - deserved better.
“The first time sepsis was mentioned was after Chloe had died" said Louise.
"There were posters up in the hospital, I remember seeing this big sepsis board in the A&E. She needed rapid treatment.
“Chloe had never needed to go to hospital before. I find that really hard.
"She was brought up to be thankful that we have free healthcare. To respect our health workers.
"In a time of real desperate need when Chloe really needed them, they failed her so cruelly. And cruel is what it was.”
Describing her daughter as a 'ball of energy' with a 'heart of gold' she says she is haunted by her last few hours.
"It's very hard to reconcile that somebody with such energy and such warmth that's how her final day was spent."
After the inquest Kettering General Hospital apologised for the 'failings and Chloe's care" saying more robust training packages around sepsis had been put in place.
"When Chloe was at her most vulnerable she didn’t get the care that she needed" said Julie Hogg, Group Chief Nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
"After Chloe's death, her parents weren’t treated with a compassion and empathy that they deserved. We have made a lot of changes since Chloe’s death.
"We realise we’ve got more to do and we’re absolutely committed to making those changes."
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