Carnarvon hospital death: Jessie Walton says her baby son should not have been sent home

When Jessie Walton left Carnarvon Health Campus armed with antibiotics to treat her sick baby boy, she worryingly asked staff, “what if Kennedy dies?” - hours later she found his lifeless body in his cot at home. The distraught mother is claiming she was not taken seriously due to a previous drug addiction and not enough was done to treat her sick eight-month child at the regional hospital where she took him twice in the days leading up to his death, but was sent home both times. Kennedy Keith Kydon-Bruce Walton was declared dead at Carnarvon Health Campus on Sunday night after about an hour of resuscitation attempts. Despite the hospital saying it had done nothing wrong health authorities have launched an external review. Eight hours earlier after leaving the hospital Ms Walton said she had found her cherished baby lifeless, purple and not breathing after he had inhaled his own vomit in his cot. The mother of four said baby Kennedy had a suspected middle ear infection and she took him into Carnarvon hospital’s emergency department on Friday, but she was told to keep giving him Panadol and Nurofen and bring him back in two days. On Sunday, she returned to the ED and Kennedy was given a dose of an antibiotic called amoxicillin trihydrate. Ms Walton was given some in a bottle so she could continue administering it at home. She gave him one dose at home before putting him in his cot. She had left the ED with her baby after about three hours and the last words she said haunt her. “On Sunday, the last thing I said was ‘what if Kennedy dies?’,” she said. “I was told ‘why would you be worried about that’ ... ‘he’s not going to die, just give him this’ (antibiotics).” Ms Walton said her baby’s breathing and ears were checked but no tests were performed — despite Kennedy grunting in pain and indicating to his abdomen with clear signs it felt tender. She also claims she was given no warning of any potential side effects the medication could have. “I wasn’t warned to put him on his side just in case he vomits in his cot ... he looked comfortable in his cot and I didn’t want to lift him too much,” she said. Ms Walton believes amoxicillin trihydrate is a strong medication and questioned whether it was right to give it to her young son and then send him home. Kennedy deteriorated after being given the antibiotics, she said. At the very least, Ms Walton said, Kennedy should have been admitted to hospital for observation and monitoring. “Parents have got to know, a child so young on strong medication should have been admitted to hospital, not sent home,” she said. Ms Walton is now racked with guilt that she could have done more, rather than trusting the experts. “You think what they are telling you will help. But this child, this beautiful soul, he deserved around-the-clock care. He deserved everybody to be on board with his health to make sure he was OK,” she said. Ms Walton opened up about her history of drug abuse and past dealings with the Carnarvon hospital. She believes staff “pre-judged” her when she walked in the door, believing it was “just Jessie” and that Kennedy was just a “sooky baby”. “I haven’t been on their best side (in the past) .... they probably just thought I was over-reacting,” she said. She says she is now clean after recently leaving rehab and claimed her drug issues had nothing to do with what happened to Kennedy. The Department of Communities had placed Kennedy in her full-time care, even when she was in rehab, she said. The devastated mother is still waiting to know what caused her baby’s death and is facing the prospect of planning for a funeral. Ms Walton is still waiting for Kennedy’s tiny body to be returned to her. “One of the main questions I have is was that amoxicillin trihydrate too much for a baby his age and his size? Why did it happen to my child?” she asked Ms Walton said baby Kennedy was a “beautiful, innocent soul”. “I miss his presence. His presence was my everything for eight months,” she said in tears. “I just have to do what no parents wants to do. “He was resilient and showed such a brave, happy face in times of difficulty. He always maintained eye contact, which I thought was his special way of speaking with me.” Ms Walton wished she had trusted her parental instincts more that something serious was wrong with her baby. “There are so many warning signs that I can think of now,” she said. What she is after now are answers and accountability, even thought that will provide cold comfort without Kennedy being able to grow up. Carnarvon Health Campus has been in the headlines recently after it shutdown its maternity services due to a shortage of midwives forcing expectant mothers to either travel to Geraldton or Perth to deliver their babies. In response to detailed questions asked by The West Australian, WA Country Health Service regional director Mid West Rachele Ferrari did not comment on specifics. “We feel deeply for Ms Walton and extend our sincere condolences,” she said. “This is an extremely complex case for several reasons and it’s important that we continue to respect the family’s right to privacy as they grieve. Multiple government agencies are offering ongoing support. “Consistent with a tragic outcome of this type, an external review will be conducted.” It is understood police are also preparing a report for the coroner.