‘Series Of Failures’ Contributed To Harborough Teenager’s Death

A coroner has ruled that neglect and a series of failures at Kettering General Hospital contributed to the death of a 13-year-old girl from Market Harborough.

Chloe Longster, who was a student at Robert Smyth Academy, contracted pneumonia and sepsis and died a day after being admitted to the hospital in November 2022.

Chloe Longster

Chloe’s parents say her death was ‘completely preventable’ and her mother Louise told the inquest into her death that Chloe was previously healthy, but after the administration of painkillers and antibiotics was delayed, her daughter had asked ‘whether she was going to die.’

Delivering her conclusion at Northampton coroner’s court, Assistant Coroner Sophie Lomas said Chloe, who was a keen dancer, might have survived if she had received appropriate treatment earlier.

She said there were several missed opportunities to recognise Chloe’s deteriorating condition and there was a ‘clear causal link between these missed opportunities and Chloe’s death’.

Chloe with her Mum Louise

A tribute to the teenager written by her Mum was read out at the Inquest and included: “She would sing and dance around the living room, laugh so hard she’d fall from her chair and jump fully-clothed into a paddling pool.

“Her excitement for life was contagious. She’d share amusing stories about her mum, laughing so hard she could barely get her words out.

“Chloe viewed the world through a lens of kindness. If only the world could have been kinder back.

“Reflecting on her tremendous loss is devastating. She won’t sit her exams, learn to drive, travel with friends or go to concerts.

“Her whole future has been extinguished. We haven’t just lost Chloe, the world has lost Chloe.”

The University Hospitals Northamptonshire NHS Group apologised to Chloe’s family and said it had made ‘a number of changes since Chloe’s death’ to improve sepsis screening.

Julie Hogg, the Group Chief Nurse for the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, said: “We offer our deepest condolences to Chloe’s family for their loss.

“We are sorry that we failed to offer Chloe the care she deserved – we should have done more.

“In the two years since Chloe died our teams have worked hard to make significant improvements, including our management of patients with sepsis and those who are not getting better.

“We have also increased our staffing levels and improved the way we communicate with our patients and their families. We realise there is still more to do but we are committed to ensuring that every patient receives the best care.”