Elouise and Danny Massa took their toddler to the emergency room on September 14, 2024, He had been vomiting, causing his body to lose too much fluid. While at Northern Beaches Hospital in Australia, the parents advocated on behalf of their 2-year-old son, Joe. They allege, however, that medical staff failed to take their concerns seriously, leading to their son’s tragic death.
Joe’s mom Elouise knew that something was seriously wrong with her son. His symptoms made that clear, she said, per 9 News.
More from CafeMom: I Went to the Hospital After Feeling Unwell for 2 Weeks – I Was Pregnant & Gave Birth That Day
In a statement shared with the news outlet, the mom said Joe had a heart rate of 183 beats per minute. In addition, he looked pale and “his lips were turning blue,” Elouise noted. Speaking to medical staff, she pointed out that her son was “going in and out of consciousness.”
But in the emergency department, the toddler was classified as triage category three, meaning he would get treatment within 30 minutes, 9 News reported. The parents believe their child’s symptoms indicated it was a medical emergency, and he should’ve been classified in “red zone” category two. Patients in the “red zone” category two require treatment within 10 minutes.
More from CafeMom: Grieving Widow Eats the Last Meal Her Husband Cooked for Her Before He Died & We’re in Tears
At one point, the mom requested an IV drip for her son, but medical staff ignored the request, she noted in the statement shared with 9 News. She reportedly asked for an IV drip on “at least three occasions.” The mom also alleged that medical staff never hooked up Joe to equipment to monitor his vital signs. Even as Joe’s symptoms worsened, he was not elevated to category two, according to 9 News.
More than three and a half hours after the family arrived at the hospital, the toddler died from a heart attack. The parents blame the hospital for their son’s death, which they believe could’ve been prevented through proper medical care. They say the hospital failed their family “at every level.”
“To be told to wait and have your baby literally dying in your arms is unfathomable and should not be happening at any hospital,” Elouise told 2GB, per 9 News.
The news outlet included a statement put out by Healthscope, which runs the hospital, which offered sympathy to the family. “Northern Beaches Hospital offers its deepest condolences to the Massa family for the loss of their son, Joe. We recognise Joe’s death has caused unimaginable heartache and grief for the family,” it read.
“We have met with the family to apologise and hear directly about their tragic experience and to discuss the findings of the Serious Adverse Event Review,” the statement continued. “We will continue to support the family in any way that we can as we implement the improvements identified in the review, including improvements around triaging processes and internal escalation processes.”
