Walsall family seek answers after toddler dies of brain injury following constipation diagnosis

The family of a two-year-old - who died following treatment at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital - say there should have been further investigations into his condition.

Hudson Cole Perrins died of a brain injury days after being diagnosed as constipated back in June.

The Willenhall toddler was taken to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton on 23 June after complaining of stomach pain. The interim cause of death was given as brain injury caused by urosepsis – the full circumstances of Hudson’s death will be examined at a coroner’s inquest from today.

Hudson’s Mum, Kayleigh Taundry, said she is seeking answers to several questions about his care, and that his family want the hospital to learn lessons from her son’s death.

She said: “As a family, we just want lessons to be learned and we don’t want any other family to go through everything that we’ve been through because it’s just devastating. The ground’s just opened up and we’ve all just fallen into a black hole, and we don’t want this to happen again.

“He was one month from turning three. He was very cheeky and boisterous, but really loving as well. He really loved a cuddle and was really affectionate.

“He was our baby. Hudson was born with a heart defect and had to undergo heart surgery at seven months old. We thought that would be the worst hurdle he would have to overcome.

“He was finally turning a corner. He was finally catching up, he was finally starting to develop alongside his peers, he was finally starting to talk and we just didn’t expect this at all.

“We are all still in denial. I can’t put it into words - he was a beautiful boy.”

Kayleigh, who works at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which also runs New Cross, said Hudson had a complex medical history, which included bladder and kidney issues as well as his heart problem.

She believed that hospital staff took the “obvious” route of diagnosing and treating constipation instead of investigating other options, even when there was little evidence of constipation.

Clinical negligence expert Michael Portman-Hann, from leading Midlands law firm FBC Manby Bowdler, who is supporting the family, said: “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.”

Hudson was first taken to the hospital in the early hours of 23 June by his dad. Doctors felt hardness in his tummy and concluded it was constipation. He was given two suppositories and an enema, and was then discharged despite not having a bowel movement.

Kayleigh and her partner, Shannon Waightman, took Hudson back to New Cross the following day when he began having seizures and was still in pain. He was later transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where he died on 27 June after his parents took the heart-breaking decision to turn off his life support.

Kayleigh stressed that she in no way blames Hudson’s dad for what happened when he first took Hudson to hospital, but believes staff should have made more efforts to contact her as Hudson’s next of kin.

She said: “His dad was keeping me updated, he kept texting me throughout the time he was in A&E with Hudson, but it was through the night so I was unaware until I woke up the next morning. By that time everything had already happened.

"I think I should have been notified by the hospital. I would have been able to advocate for him a bit more. I know Hudson inside and out and, with having a medical background, I feel I could have pushed for some things, because I know what should have been done and what was available to be carried out.

"We have never had any other fault with New Cross. Even when my partner and I took him back in, we can’t fault the care we received.

“Maybe it was the staff members that were on, or the time of day. When his dad took him it was night shift, when we took him it was day shift. You think, what if? What if it was a day shift, what if I took him – it's all just what ifs?”

She added: “On his interim death certificate it says brain injury with a leading cause of urosepsis, but the evidence is inconsistent as to whether that was the case.

“We’re none the wiser. I’m hoping we get more answers from the Inquest, because at the moment we feel lost.”

The inquest is scheduled to be heard at the Black Country Coroner’s Court on 5 and 9 December.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust said it cannot comment until after the inquest has concluded.

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