Mother-of-two Dies After Paracetamol Overdose Administered By Hospital In UK, Police Probe Launched

A police inquiry has been launched into the death of a mother-of-two who allegedly died after a paracetamol overdose was given to her by the hospital that she had gone to, to seek treatment for suspected pneumonia.

The hospital in question has been identified as the Whiston Hospital in Merseyside in the United Kingdom. The Hospital is under the National Health Service (NHS) umbrella. 

Mother-of-two allegedly dies after a paracetamol overdose. Photo: iStock

Mum of 2 dies of Paracetamol overdose

Ongoing Police probe into the death 

The case against the hospital comes after Laura Higginson, 30, died during treatment for suspected pneumonia in April 2017. 

The family is accusing the NHS hospital doctors of overdosing the mother on Paracetamol by accident and then not telling the family about it. 

Laura’s husband Antony claims that he was only informed of the alleged paracetamol overdose while receiving treatment for grief from his General Practitioner (GP). The family believes the cause of death was due to paracetamol overdose, which had caused the multi-organ failure and liver cirrhosis that they learnt was on reports. 

“I was apoplectic. How had the hospital not told me? The fact is it wasn’t Laura’s time to die,” he said speaking to media, alleging the hospital of a “cover-up” of the real reason of his wife’s death. 

“The children and I would give anything to have another hour with her,” he added. 

Antony notes that it was traumatic to take his young children to bid their final farewell to their mother. 

“That image of seeing the children on the bed crying and making promises to her… My daughter holding Laura’s hand trying to stroke her own face haunts me. I will never recover from seeing the three most precious things in my life in such pain,” he noted. 

Paracetamol overdose alleged cause for mother-of-two’s death

Laura was suffering from a condition called Gitelman syndrome and was severely underweight upon being admitted to hospital on April 5 2017, after collapsing at home. 

The police probe details that the family is alleging doctors to have administered intravenous paracetamol in doses for an adult female, without taking into consideration her small size and frame, and only realised their mistake two days later as her condition worsened. Despite being given anti-toxicity drugs to correct this, she did not recover and later died in intensive care.

Meanwhile, the hospital denies allegations of the paracetamol overdose and claims Laura succumbed to complications from a genetic kidney disorder that she suffered. 

“The trust offers its sincere condolences to the family of the late Mrs Higginson. Following her death, an immediate and thorough investigation was carried out,” a spokesperson for the hospital further added.

An inquest into Laura’s death was never held at the time, despite it being reported to the coroner. It has recently been opened and adjourned to a date to be fixed. 

“The trust have now, after three years, admitted that administering the paracetamol overdose was negligent, however, they continue to deny it caused or contributed to Laura’s death,” noted the family’s lawyer. 

“Given Laura’s incredibly tragic premature death, it is disappointing Mr Higginson and the family has had to wait so long, but it is right that the failings are now recognised by the trust and due process is followed,” he added. 

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