Latest news with #LaurenParrish
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Family of Archie Squire 'keeping his memory alive'
"When you take your child to hospital and they don't come back out again - I just couldn't wish it on anyone."Lauren Parrish and Jake Squire have spoken of their shock and grief following the death of their one-year-old son suffered heart failure just days after his first birthday, following repeated visits to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate."They just didn't do everything they could," Lauren said, following an inquest into his death. 'Missed opportunities' to prevent baby's death The couple told the BBC their little boy had "brightened everyone's life"."He was a happy little boy. He just brought us all together as a family," Lauren they had noticed that their son was not growing and developing as he should have been. "We didn't quite realise how small he was until we looked at the other one-year-old children," said Lauren. "He wasn't walking. He was hardly crawling. It was just such a shock." Regarding the care Archie received at the QEQM hospital in Margate, Jake said: "We never got a straight answer to what was actually wrong with him. Never. "We would say one thing and they would say they know best."If they had put him down as 'failure to thrive' he would have been seen within 24 to 48 hours for a heart scan and then obviously he would have been fixed from there. "It's too late." Lauren and Jake said they have been supported by family throughout their family has attended every session of the coroner's court regarding Archie's death. Lauren said her parents were often the ones looking after Archie and had frequently expressed their concerns. She said her mother would tell her "he's not right - we need to take him to get checked"."You never expect your children to pass before you," said Lauren."You've got your child one day and the next he's not there. It's just heartbreaking."Jake said their younger son, Albie, keeps them going."I think the main thing for us, for the family, is just keeping his memory alive," said Lauren. At an inquest, Sarah Clarke, area coroner for North East Kent, concluded there was "no doubt" that an earlier diagnosis of a congenital heart defect would have "altered the outcome" of Archie's coroner recorded Archie's cause of death as heart failure and congenitally corrected transposition of the great told the family: "You are an absolute credit to each other and have supported each other outstandingly throughout this process. "From my point of view and the view of the entire coroner service, we will never forget Archie."
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Family accuse doctors of 'failing' their baby son after inquest told he died of undiagnosed heart condition despite 10 hospital visits
The family of a toddler who died of a rare heart condition have claimed that their son was 'failed' by doctors who did not properly diagnose him. 'Happy' Archie Squire, born on November 20, 2022, was labelled a 'mystery child' by doctors - in reference to his illness - despite making more than 10 visits to A&E in his short life. Presenting symptoms that included constipation, breathlessness and 'failure to thrive', Archie was eventually admitted to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate, Kent, in November 2023. After suffering two cardiac arrests, he died just two days later. Now, his devastated parents, Lauren Parrish and Jake Squire, have alleged that doctors failed to diagnose his rare heart condition in the lead up to his death, just three days after his first birthday. Following the tragic loss of their son, the couple say that they have endured an 'incredibly painful' journey, made worse by having to wait for answers. At an inquest looking into the circumstances surrounding the young child's death at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent on May 19, Archie's emotional family said that words 'can't describe' their experience of watching their son die under such tragic circumstances. They told the hearing they believe there were acute 'failures' in his care, particularly given an inability to diagnose what exactly was wrong with him in the months leading up to his death. The family also alleged that Archie's parents only received 'vague answers' from doctors who failed to diagnose a precise medical issue with their young son. Archie's heartbroken mother, Ms Parrish, explained that her son had struggled with symptoms including constipation, breathlessness, vomiting and 'failure to thrive' - relating to him not gaining weight or growing as expected - throughout his short life. She first took her son to A&E in November 2022, shortly after his birth, when 'grunting' noises he made in his sleep worsened. Though he went on to visit A&E nine more times - being seen by several doctors, GPs and nurses - Ms Parrish said medical professionals described Archie as a 'mystery child' as they were unable to discern what exactly was wrong with him. Shortly after his ninth visit to A&E, the young toddler was again diagnosed with a lower respiratory tract infection by GPs. Archie's mother has now told the inquiry that she believed 'no further investigation' was ever undertaken by medical professionals. On the final hospital visit, a day after Archie's first birthday, and having been 'back and forth' for medical assistance 'so many times', Ms Parrish said that she eventually decided that 'enough was enough'. Archie was then fitted with a nasogastric (NG) tube going into his stomach, which the family believe was a 'main contributing factor' to him going into cardiac arrest, the inquest was told. X-rays were undertaken to check if the tube was in the correct place, and Ms Parrish said that her son's condition rapidly deteriorated following the administration of drugs via the tube on two occasions. On the moments Archie fell into cardiac arrest and resuscitation was attempted, Ms Parrish added: 'It seemed like a lot of what was needed was not available to [medical staff].' Eventually, having been told that young Archie would be severely brain-damaged with a poor quality of life if he was resuscitated, Ms Parrish and Mr Squire agreed to stop CPR. A post-mortem revealed that the toddler had suffered heart failure caused by isolated cardiac ventricular inversion, where the left atrium enters the right ventricle and vice-versa. In a heartbreaking statement released by Archie's family, they said that they believed there had been 'failures to recognise a poorly child not just in the hours leading up to Archie's death, but also in the months before'. Adding that they felt 'lessons are not being learned' and that there was still a lack of 'compassion' for the family's devastating ordeal, the statement read: 'Concerns were raised on many occasions about Archie's breathing. 'We believe there have been missed opportunities to prevent his death. We feel it is our duty to raise these in the form of a complaint, in the hope that no other child dies unnecessarily. 'Archie's parents raised health concerns relating to his breathing. They were often left with vague answers and little treatment which never led to long-term recovery. 'Why weren't parents' concerns listened to on numerous occasions? If he was poorly, why wasn't this recognised?' Archie's parents, Lauren Parrish and Jake Squire (pictured with Archie) , have told an inquest in Maidstone, Kent that they believe there were 'failures to recognise a poorly child not just in the hours leading up to Archie's death, but also in the months before' A statement from Archie's godmother, Nikki Escudier, described the young child him as a 'shining light' that brought 'happiness into the world from the beginning'. Ms Escudier added: 'In just 368 precious days, he filled every moment with warmth, laughter, and the kind of love that stays with you forever. 'His smile lit up the room and his presence left a lasting mark on every heart he touched. 'Though his time with us was heartbreakingly short, he continues to live on. 'Archie was more than a baby. He was a gift, a gentle soul. He brought people together. His sweet nature made him unforgettable. 'Everyone who met Archie felt his charm. He will never get to grow up alongside his brother and we will never get to see the man he would've become. 'Archie Squire made this world brighter simply by being here. And though he is gone, he will always be with us - deeply loved and forever remembered.' During the inquest, Archie's parents are being represented by medical negligence solicitor Lily Hedgman, alongside Leigh Day and barrister Emily Raynor. Ms Hedgman said: 'Archie died just days after his first birthday. His family have shown incredible strength, dignity and resilience throughout this process, motivated by an unwavering determination to ensure that no other family has to endure a similar loss. 'They hope that this inquest will provide a full and transparent account of Archie's care and reveal whether any opportunities to diagnose his heart condition, and therefore avoid his death, were missed.' A spokesperson for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said: 'We offer our heartfelt condolences to Archie's family and we will work with the coroner to give the family answers.' The inquest, expected to last around eight days, continues.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Our baby was a gift - but his life was heartbreakingly short'
A family has said "words cannot describe our experience" after their one-year-old baby died at a Kent hospital. Archie Squire suffered heart failure after repeated visits to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate. His godmother Nikki Escudier told an inquest into the toddler's death they had "368 precious days" with Archie that were "filled with warmth and love". "He was more than a baby - he was a gift," she told the inquest at North East Kent Coroner's Court in Maidstone. Holding back tears, Ms Escudier added his life had been "heartbreakingly short". 'We all gave Archie a kiss' Describing the last moments of Archie's life as doctors tried to resuscitate him, his mother Lauren Parrish said the family was told by hospital staff his heart was beating, but "not as it should be"."We agreed to let him go," she said in a statement read out by coroner Sarah Clarke."We all gave Archie a kiss."Archie had a rare heart condition that went undetected before his death on 23 November had been reviewed in the A&E and Urgent Care Centre at QEQM Hospital more than 10 times over his life with symptoms including constipation, breathlessness and failure to thrive. Ms Parrish said at the inquest her son would cry in pain "a lot". She described how he frequently became unsettled and would struggle to breathe, which became worse at night. "He was making strange grunting noises," Ms Parrish added. The day after his first birthday, Archie was taken to hospital with constipation and vomiting. He died two days later following two cardiac arrests. 'Missed opportunities' East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust expressed its "heartfelt condolences" to Archie's did not issue a further comment to the BBC. A serious incident investigations report by the trust, seen by the BBC, found there were "missed opportunities to diagnose him appropriately".Archie's parents have said hospital staff showed a "lack of compassion" after their son inquest started on 19 May and is set to last six days.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
We took our baby to A&E 10 times but he still died days after his first birthday
THE PARENTS of a "happy" baby boy are demanding answers, after their tot passed away despite repeated visits to A&E. "Much-loved" Archie Squire died of a rare heart condition just days after his first birthday. 4 Doctors allegedly failed to properly diagnose him - despite more than 10 visits to A&E in his short life, lawyers representing his parents said. Lauren Parrish and Jake Squire hope to discover if more could have been done to save their little boy at an inquest at North East Kent Coroner's Court, which starts next week. The parents have said they've endured an "incredibly painful" journey since Archie's death in November 2023, made worse by having to wait for answers. Archie, born on November 20, 2022, died just three days after his first birthday at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate, Kent. His family claims that he was reviewed more than 10 times during his short life in the A&E and Urgent Care Centre at the hospital, after presenting with symptoms including constipation, breathlessness and "failure to thrive" - as he wasn't gaining weight or growing as expected. Lauren and Jake said the tot was discharged on several occasions and diagnosed with bronchiolitis, a respiratory infection common in babies. The day after his first birthday in November 2023, Archie was admitted to the hospital from the A&E department due to constipation and vomiting. He sadly died two days later after suffering two cardiac arrests. A post-mortem revealed Archie had a rare heart condition that can gone undetected by doctors. His heart failure was caused by isolated cardiac ventricular inversion, a heart defect where the heart's atria are connected to the ventricles in an abnormal way. What is myocarditis and what are the symptoms? The disease is congenital, which means there is a fault or problem with the heart that's there from birth. Studies have suggested less than 50 cases of isolated ventricular inversion have been reported globally since 1966. An East Kent Hospitals Trust investigation into the death, ordered by the coroner, reportedly found there were "missed opportunities" to recognise an "abnormal cardiac shadow" on an X-ray in October 2023. Little Archie's family said in a statement: "Archie was a much-loved, happy little boy, and his death has left an irreparable hole in our lives. 4 4 "It has been an incredibly painful journey for our family, which has only been made worse by having to wait years to get answers about what happened to him. "We are committed to doing all we can to ensure no other family is left having to go through what we have been through, and hope this inquest will finally help us understand whether more could and should have been done to prevent Archie's death." The week-long inquest, beginning on Monday April 19, will hear from doctors and nurses who reviewed Archie, as well as evidence from an expert in general practice and a paediatric cardiac surgeon. Archie's parents will be represented by Lily Hedgman, a medical negligence solicitor with Leigh Day, and barrister Emily Raynor. What is isolated cardiac ventricular inversion? Isolated cardiac ventricular inversion is an extremely rare congenital heart defect. It was first described in medical literature 1966 and it's thought that less than 50 cases have been reported since then. The heart is made up of four chambers. There are two upper chambers, the left and right atrium, that they receive blood flowing into the heart. The two lower chambers are called the ventricles and they they pump blood out of the heart. Your blood flows around your heart and the rest of your body in one direction, like a one-way traffic system. If someone has isolated cardiac ventricular inversion, the left atrium enters the right ventricle and vice-versa. This results in oxygenated blood is pumped back to the lungs instead of the body, and deoxygenated blood being pumped to the body. Ms Hedgman said: "Archie died just days after his first birthday. "His family have shown incredible strength, dignity and resilience throughout this process, motivated by an unwavering determination to ensure that no other family has to endure a similar loss. "They hope that this inquest will provide a full and transparent account of Archie's care and reveal whether any opportunities to diagnose his heart condition, and therefore avoid his death, were missed."
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Parents of boy who died three days after his first birthday despite 10 visits to A&E hope medics can provide answers at inquest
The parents of a 'much loved' toddler who died three days later after his first birthday, despite 10 visits to A&E hope doctors explain if more could be done to save him at his inquest. Little Archie Squire died after doctors failed to to properly diagnose him. This is despite more than 10 visits to A&E in his short life, lawyers argue. His parents Lauren Parrish and Jake Squire, who will be represented by Lily Hedgman, a medical negligence solicitor with Leigh Day, and barrister Emily Raynor, at Archie's inquest at North East Kent Coroner's Court next week say they have endured an ''incredibly painful' journey since their son's death in November 2023. Archie, born on November 20, 2022, died just three days after his first birthday at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate, Kent. His family claims that he was reviewed more than 10 times during his short life in the A&E and Urgent Care Centre at the hospital, after presenting with symptoms including constipation, breathlessness and 'failure to thrive' - relating to him not gaining weight or growing as expected. The day after his first birthday in November 2023, Archie was admitted to the hospital from the A&E department due to constipation and vomiting. He sadly died two days later after suffering two cardiac arrests. A post-mortem revealed the heart failure was caused by isolated cardiac ventricular inversion, where the left atrium enters the right ventricle and vice-versa. Little Archie's family said in a statement: 'Archie was a much-loved, happy little boy, and his death has left an irreparable hole in our lives. 'It has been an incredibly painful journey for our family, which has only been made worse by having to wait years to get answers about what happened to him. 'We are committed to doing all we can to ensure no other family is left having to go through what we have been through, and hope this inquest will finally help us understand whether more could and should have been done to prevent Archie's death.' The week-long inquest, beginning next Monday, will hear from doctors and nurses who reviewed Archie, as well as evidence from an expert in general practice and a paediatric cardiac surgeon. Lily Hedgman added: 'Archie died just days after his first birthday. His family have shown incredible strength, dignity and resilience throughout this process, motivated by an unwavering determination to ensure that no other family has to endure a similar loss. 'They hope that this inquest will provide a full and transparent account of Archie's care and reveal whether any opportunities to diagnose his heart condition, and therefore avoid his death, were missed.' A spokesperson for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said: 'We offer our heartfelt condolences to Archie's family and we will work with the coroner to give the family answers.'
