Dylan Cope, 9, died of sepsis after doctors discharged him home with a diagnosis of the flu, but didn’t consider it a warning from a general practitioner who suspected appendicitis. An investigation later showed that if the boy removed the ruptured appendix, his death could have been prevented. Now his mother is talking about lifelong pain and is fighting for the introduction of information leaflets that would address the failures in the healthcare system, reports .
A child from Newport died on December 14, 2022. During the investigation into his death, which took place in May 2024, it was revealed that his early release was due to several individual mistakesrepresenting a serious failure in basic care.
Dylan enjoyed life to the fullest – he loved baking with his mom and playing with his brother. “He was very loving and nothing made him happier than hearing through Alexa that there were free hugs available in the living room,” the devastated father described his favorite moments. “By the time we were supposed to be watching him in the school play, we were watching him die,” he added.
The parents initially took the boy to the general practitioner Dr. Amy Burton with severe abdominal pain. After an examination, she recommended immediate transfer to Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran. She phoned the hospital beforehand with her suspected appendicitis. Dylan was examined by Samantha Hayden, a child specialist who she did not manage notes from Burton. Although she insisted it was common to disregard the notes, she told the court that the hospital was extremely busy that day.
Subsequently, an unknown doctor came to the little patient and dismissed any concerns about Dylan’s appendix. After testing positive for the flu, he was sent home with ibuprofen and a leaflet about coughs and colds in children. Days passed but his condition did not improve and the family waited two hours for a call back from the NHS line during which he their legs started to hurt, which is a symptom of sepsis.
Dylan’s father rushed him back to the emergency room, where he was immediately taken to Cardiff University Hospital. There it turned out that his appendix had ruptured. “The doctors told us there was nothing more they could do for him. It was highly unlikely he would survive.” relayed information he received from doctors. The devices that kept him alive were finally disconnected and he died of sepsis on December 14.
The coroner concluded that he would still be alive if he had not been sent home from hospital on December 6 and that neglect contributed to his death. Corinne, his mother, continues the campaign three years after the death of the beloved child. “Dylan and many others like him, their lives and preventable deaths are not in vain. It can’t be all for nothing” she declared.
Although she sees the campaign as the right thing to do, a deep sadness continues to consume her heart. “The death of a child, especially when you know it could have been prevented, is extremely difficult… It’s a life sentence of pain and questions that you wouldn’t wish on anyone,” added.
Corinne discovered that the Spotting the Unwell Child leaflet was not being used directly in Wales. It therefore launched a joint campaign with the organization Sepsis UK Trust. “The UK Sepsis Trust has been campaigning for its adoption for years,” she emphasized. “I said to myself that after this tragedy, I would contribute with my work to bring awareness to it again,” she clarified. She said the repeated failures of doctors show that there is zero tolerance for avoidable harm and death.
Finally, she pushed for the introduction of safety leaflets for hospitals and waiting rooms in Wales. The new materials include a screening tool and QR codes to recognize the symptoms of the infection, which it has to help both parents and overworked staff prevent unnecessary deaths. She is convinced that information mechanisms are key, because in stressful situations you can’t rely only on human memory.
