Parents Instruct Medical Negligence Lawyers To Investigate Girl’s Care

An eight-year-old girl died of sepsis hours after she was twice sent home from a GP surgery and her mum advised to give her fluids and ibuprofen. 

Mia Glynn, from Biddulph, Staffordshire, was taken to a GP surgery twice in four hours after her parents Soron and Katie Glynn, were concerned she was vomiting, had a severe headache and had been complaining of a sore throat for three days. They queried whether she had the infection Group A Strep, which was prevalent at the time. 

During the second appointment, Mia who had not eaten much for three days and had a raised heart rate, reduced urine output and was sleepy, was examined. A doctor called a hospital for a second opinion. 

Staffordshire girl Mia sent home from GP with antibiotics

Katie said she was told the hospital was full and they would be waiting in a corridor so she and Mia were sent home with antibiotics. The doctor advised Katie to give Mia fluids and ibuprofen and not start antibiotics until Mia went to bed. 

Mia, who continued to feel poorly, slept in her parents’ bed that night. She awoke in the early hours of the morning and was agitated. Mia, who was disorientated, had rashes on her arms and legs and blue lips, complained she was hot but was cold to touch.

Soron and Katie, aged 39 and 37, called an ambulance. Paramedics rushed Mia to hospital where an emergency team was waiting.

At hospital Mia continued to deteriorate. She was given intravenous fluids and antibiotics. However, she went into suspected septic shock and suffered a cardiac arrest around 15 minutes after arriving at hospital. Doctors tried to resuscitate her but she died around 20 minutes later. 

Mia died of sepsis caused by Group A Strep infection, her death certificate said.

Parents ask medical negligence lawyers to investigate 

Following Mia’s death Soron and Katie who have a 12-year-old son Beau, instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her care and secure answers.  

The couple have now spoken for the first time about their “devastating” loss. They have joined their legal team at Irwin Mitchell in using World Sepsis Day to raise awareness of the signs of the life-threatening condition which sees the body attack itself in response to an infection. 

Victoria Zinzan is the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the couple.

Expert Opinion

“Mia was a cherished daughter and sister whose death has had a devastating impact on her family.

“Understandably her loved ones continue to have a number of concerns about her death and the circumstances surrounding it.

“Sadly through our work we see too many families affected by sepsis; with Mia’s death vividly highlighting the dangers of the condition.

“Early diagnosis and treatment is key to beating sepsis, therefore it’s vital people know what signs to look out for when it comes to detecting this incredibly dangerous and life-threatening condition.

“While we continue to work to provide Soron and Katie with the answers they deserve, World Sepsis Day is an opportunity for them to share their story and help raise awareness.” Victoria Zinzan

Sepsis: Mia Glynn's story

Mia started complaining of a sore throat on 5 December, 2022. At around 8.30am On 8 December, her parents took Mia, who had developed a temperature and severe headache, to a GP surgery concerned she may have Group A Strep infection. 

A nurse practitioner told Katie Mia’s symptoms were viral and advised her to give her daughter fluids and paracetamol.  

Katie took Mia back to the surgery just after midday concerned about her daughter’s condition. Following an examination by a GP, Mia and Katie were sent home. 

Soron and Katie called an ambulance just after 3am on 9 December, 2022. However, Mia continued to deteriorate, and she died shortly after arriving at hospital.

Family reveal heart break over Biddulph girl's death

Katie, a self-employed hairdresser, said: “Our world and hearts broke forever when our beautiful daughter was snatched away from us. Mia had been taken to the doctors twice to be told her symptoms were viral. Around 15 hours later she died of sepsis. 

“The unbelievable and unbearable pain we feel is unexplainable and unimaginable. Our beautiful healthy girl was the happiest, brightest, most loving and caring girl who smiled, danced, brought joy and love to everyone she met. She brought so much laughter and fun.” 

Mia's parents set up charitable organisation in daughter's memory

Following Mia’s death her family and well-wishers have raised more than £40,000 in her memory through a variety of fundraising events, including sponsored runs, and local business donations.
 
The family has donated more than £16,000 to the charity UK Sepsis Trust.

Soron and Katie have also set up the charitable organisation aiM Charity in their daughter’s memory. This year they staged a summer family and music festival – aiM Festival. After the event raised more than £21,000 the family and the aiM Team are planning on staging the festival again next year. 

Since aiM Charity has been formed and the festival was successful, local businesses have set up their own charity events that are supporting aiM Charity and allowing aiM to continue to raise awareness of sepsis and support families in need of professional support.

Family issues sepsis warning

Katie added: “We’ll never get over the pain of losing Mia especially in the way we did. Our family will never be the same without Mia. She had her whole life ahead of her and was taken from us in the cruellest way imaginable.   

“That she will never get to mark life’s milestones such as passing her exams, getting married and starting work is something that will live with us forever.

“When we took Mia to the surgery we queried whether she needed urgent treatment. We’re now left wondering whether more could have been done to help Mia. 

“Our hearts hurts every second since Mia’s heart stopped. But we will always make sure Mia will be remembered in the most special way.”

Soron, an engineering teacher, added: “Seeing Mia in her final moments was awful. We feel so blessed that she was our daughter but are completely heartbroken that Mia was taken from us so soon.

“A lot of people may have heard of sepsis but it’s only after what happened to Mia that we realise just how dangerous it is. We started researching and reading more about it and it was clear to  us that Mia had red flag symptoms of sepsis but we weren’t told to take her to hospital. We’d do anything to have Mia back in our lives.

“It’s the sad reality that there are families out there, like us, that are suffering from loss due to sepsis, this has to change. We need to educate the public and health professionals to identify the signs of sepsis and ask the question “could it be sepsis?”. This is what we will strive to help with.

“Our focus now is on raising awareness of the dangers of sepsis so others don’t have to go through what our family has. We wouldn’t wish it on anyone. By sharing our story and organising charity events we can help other families in Mia’s memory so that we can keep her legacy and share what a perfect little girl she is.”

Help and support available

aiM is an anagram of Mia’s name and is being used all over the local community. Local football teams have the aiM logo on their shirts, banners are being put up at  hotspots with the signs and symptoms of sepsis and a dedicated website for information on how to spot sepsis in adults and children has been set up.

Signs of sepsis in children include not eating or passing urine, vomiting, fast breathing, mottled, blueish or pale skin, a rash that does not fade when pressed, being lethargic or difficult to wake and feeling abnormally cold to touch.

For more information visit the UK Sepsis Trust’s website.

More on the aiM Charity can be found online or by searching aiMCharity on Facebook. More information on the aiM Festival can also be found at the dedicated event website. 

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting families affected by sepsis at our dedicated sepsis claims section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.