The devastating loss of a three-year-old little boy, Theo Tuikubulau, has raised serious concerns about the emergency care response he received, concluding that his death could have been avoided.
An inquest found that a series of missed opportunities to provide earlier medical care contributed to the heartbreaking loss of little Theo, who died from a Strep A infection that developed into sepsis — a condition that may have been treatable with timely intervention.
At Tozers, our medical negligence solicitors are deeply saddened by this case and continue to support families affected by failures in healthcare. As specialists in sepsis claims, we know how critical early diagnosis and treatment are, especially in children.
Delays in Emergency Response Contributed to Theo’s Avoidable Death
Theo’s mother, Kayleigh Kenneford, contacted NHS 111 on 7 July 2022, after he became increasingly unwell.
Although he showed serious symptoms, including a high fever, breathing difficulties, and lethargy, the call was not escalated as a life-threatening emergency. It took some 90 minutes for an ambulance to arrive - a delay the inquest jury found to be a direct contributing factor in Theo’s death.
The jury concluded:
“Theo would not have had a cardiac arrest and would not have died if he had arrived at hospital sooner.”
Despite being seen at Derriford Hospital just the day before, and discharged with a suspected viral infection, Theo’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Tragically, he suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after arriving back at hospital in the early hours of 8 July 2022.
Inquest Identifies Key Failures
The inquest, held at County Hall in Exeter, returned a narrative conclusion, highlighting three key systemic failures:
- Failure to escalate symptoms during a 72-hour follow-up call to the child assessment unit;
- Inconsistent triage protocols between NHS 111 and 999 services;
- Delays in ambulance dispatch following the emergency call.
These failures reflect recurring themes in our work handling paediatric misdiagnosis claims, where symptoms are minimised, referrals are delayed, and urgent care is not prioritised.
Remembering Theo
Theo’s mother described him as a “happy, loving and affectionate little boy” who adored buses and fire engines and loved his time at nursery. She did everything right by calling for help repeatedly, only to be met with a fragmented and inadequate response.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Andy Robinson told the jury that Theo did not show signs of sepsis when assessed two days before his death. Still, the jury found that if he had arrived at hospital sooner, his death could have been avoided.
Medical Negligence: Strep A and Sepsis Claims
This heartbreaking case highlights how quickly Strep A infections can turn into life-threatening sepsis, and how important it is for medical professionals and emergency services to recognise red-flag symptoms.
As a law firm experienced in Strep A negligence claims and fatal sepsis cases, we support families in holding NHS trusts and private healthcare providers accountable for:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of sepsis or infection;
- Inadequate triage by 111, 999 or in-hospital teams;
- Unsafe discharge from A&E or paediatric units;
- Delays in ambulance response leading to deterioration.
Helena Campbell, from our medical negligence team, is representing the parents of a toddler who tragically died after doing everything they could to seek urgent medical help. Despite their efforts, his condition was not properly triaged, and his care was not escalated when it should have been. Like little Theo, he was overwhelmed by Group A Strep and sepsis, and heartbreakingly suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away.
On responding to the article, Helena’s client has said:
“I was deeply saddened to read about Theo and his mother’s experience, with her concerns and his symptoms repeatedly not taken seriously. My son also died of sepsis, after contracting invasive Group A Strep. It is distressing to read that parental concerns continue to be dismissed and mishandled. Sepsis can affect anyone and can take hold extremely fast. With babies and small children often not able to articulate how they feel, it is crucial to listen when parents contact healthcare services and to accurately assess the clinical presentation.
It is our hope that the NHS learns some serious lessons from the inquest into Theo’s death and real change is made. Always remember to ask: ‘Could it be sepsis?’”
We understand that no amount of compensation can bring back a loved one. But bringing a medical negligence claim can help secure answers, financial compensation, and the reassurance that lessons will be learned to protect other families in future.
