Prosecution tell jury of 'neglect' in Jack Adcock trial

The prosecution has opened its case in the trial of three people charged with gross negligence manslaughter after the death of a boy from Leicestershire.

The prosecution has told the jury at Nottingham Crown Court that that six-year-old Jack Adcock, from Glen Parva, died due to gross negligence of three staff members at Leicester Royal Infirmary's Critical Assessment Unit.

Jack Adcock died on 18th Feb 2011.

The prosecution claims Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, ward sister Theresa Taylor, and agency nurse Isabel Amaro, failed to properly assess Jack's symptoms, that he had a blood infection, or review his treatment.

Jack later went into cardiac arrest and despite attempts to resuscitate him, died later that evening.

The prosecution told the jury that an X-ray later showed Jack Adcock had pneumonia and that blood tests showed high levels of acidity.

The court heard that in the wake of the X-ray result, Dr Bawa-Garba was 'neglectful' because either she saw the results but 'did nothing about it', or that she didn't bother to check the results for three hours, and then delayed for one hour before starting antibiotic treatment.

The prosecution allege that when Jack Adcock suffered a heart attack, Dr Bawa-Garba told the doctors to stop attempts to resuscitate the six-year-old as he had a 'Do not resuscitate' order (DNR) on his notes.

But the court heard that Dr Bawa-Garba had mixed Jack up with anothertwo-year-old boy on the same ward who she had also been treating that day.

The jury was told further attempts were made to resuscitate Jack Adcock, but that he was already too ill to be revived.

Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, Theresa Taylor and Isabel Amaro all deny manslaughter by reason of gross negligence.

The trial continues.