When 3-year-old Aarav Chopra needed a liver biopsy in 2023, his parents, Amrita and Kishore Chopra, trusted the United Kingdom’s Birmingham Children’s Hospital for his care. It was a routine procedure, and no one expected any issues. But something catastrophic happened. A hospital trainee reportedly pierced an artery during the surgery, causing Aarav to bleed profusely. He died on November 23, 2023. Nearly three years later, the UK’s National Health Service trust issued a formal apology.
A hospital trainee pierced Aarav’s artery.
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary issued a prevention of future deaths report outlining Aarav’s case, People reported.
“The first attempt at the liver biopsy was undertaken by a trainee who placed a coaxial needle into the 7th intercostal space. The needle could not be seen on imaging and was withdrawn. It was not appreciated at the time that the needle did not follow the correct pathway which damaged an intercostal artery which started to bleed,” the report read.
The space between Aarav’s lung and chest wall filled with blood, known as a haemothorax, according to the report from the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.
The operation record had incomplete notes, which reportedly hindered Aarav’s care.
By the time doctors found the large collection of fluid, it was too late to place a chest tube to drain it.
“On return to PICU it was confirmed that sadly Aarav had suffered a hypoxic brain injury during the prolonged arrest and he passed away on 22/11/23. Had the haemothorax been addressed at the time of the procedure Aarav would likely have been monitored and treated before the cardiac arrest,” the report disclosed.
The NHS Trust took full responsibility for the boy’s death.
Dr. Satish Rao, chief medical officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust, admitted responsibility in a statement obtained by People.
“We offer our sincere condolences to Aarav’s family and loved ones. We know that the standard of care provided did not meet those expected and for this we are truly sorry and have admitted full liability,” Rao wrote.
“Following Aarav’s death, changes were made to our processes to improve patient care and we are committed to sustaining these improvements in his memory,” he added in the statement.
Aarav’s family will never be the same.
The coroner ruled Aarav's death was preventable, and with appropriate care, the cardiac arrest and death would have been avoided on the balance of probabilities. The hospital trust (Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust) has since admitted full liability,…
— David Carbutt (@DavidCarbutt_) March 23, 2026
The toddler’s devastated mother told the BBC she never wants another family to experience this kind of pain.
“The strain it’s put on us as a family has killed us,” Amrita Chopra said. “Because we took Aarav to a really good place, like he was in the best place for his care, and then they’ve basically killed him and that’s how we see it.”
She added that the hospital must implement change so this never happens again. “It’s heartbreaking but we definitely don’t want other families to go through what we have been through,” Amrita Chopra told the BBC.
Per the BBC, the family settled a legal claim against the hospital. The terms are unknown.
Thinking your child is headed in for a routine procedure and then planning their funeral is such an unbelievable tragedy. We understand that everyone has to learn, and sometimes, accidents happen. It’s just heartbreaking, especially when it involves a child.
