Boy, 2, sent home by medics died of natural causes

A two-year-old boy who passed away after being told he had constipation died as a result of natural causes, a coroner has concluded.

Hudson Cole Perrins, from Willenhall, died on 27 June, four days after his father took him to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital with stomach pain.

After sending him home, he returned to the hospital before being transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital's paediatric intensive care unit.

His cause of death was given as a brain injury caused by a urinary tract infection that affected his kidneys and caused sepsis.

However, his parents believe there should have been further initial investigations at New Cross to properly diagnose his condition.

Giving her verdict at the Black Country Coroner's Court in Oldbury, assistant coroner Kelly Dixon said a verdict of natural causes did not mean there had not been failings.

She said medics should have checked Hudson's heart rate before releasing him from New Cross Hospital, but added she was satisfied he was initially discharged with symptoms that were not indicative of sepsis, which she said could develop "incredibly quickly".

While she stopped short of issuing a prevention of future deaths report, she criticised medics for not rechecking his heart rate prior to releasing him.

"It is set out within the trust policy that this should have occurred," she said.

"[But] I am not able to go a step further to say had it been checked that Hudson's death would not have occurred."

Ms Dixon went on to say Hudson's death was "wholly unexpected" but the appropriate verdict was one stemming from natural causes.

"As a parent myself of young children I cannot imagine the loss of a child and the loss at such a young age," she added.

"From the photographs that I have seen of Hudson he was a happy and beautiful little boy. A beloved little brother and clearly very loved by you all."

Hudson's mother Kayleigh Taundry, who works at the hospitals trust, previously said doctors took the "obvious route" of diagnosing Hudson with constipation when there was no evidence of it.

She explained her son had a complicated medical history that included bladder and kidney problems.

He had also been born with a heart defect for which he underwent surgery at seven months old.

"He was one month from turning three," Ms Taundry said.

"He was very cheeky and boisterous. We are all still in denial. I can't put it into words. He was a beautiful boy."

Clinical negligence expert Michael Portman-Hann, from FBC Manby Bowdler, previouly added: "This is a tragic case that has left the family with so many questions and concerns.

"We will support them in any way we can to make sure no other family goes through this trauma."

In a statement, following the inquest, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust said: "We would like to once again offer our condolences to the family following the loss of Hudson.

"While the coroner today concluded Hudson's death was due to natural causes, we are always mindful of areas for improvement as highlighted in our own investigation."

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