Manitoba mother alleges medical negligence contributed to teenage daughter's death: lawsuit

A Manitoba mother is suing a regional health authority and a trio of health care professionals alleging medical negligence contributed to her teenage daughter's death.

The Northern Regional Health Authority along with two doctors and a registered nurse are named in a statement of claim filed on behalf of Keno Halcrow in the Manitoba Court of King's Bench earlier this month. 

The lawsuit cites the Fatal Accidents Act and alleges the defendants and health authority were "negligent in the medical attention, care, treatment and management provided." 

The allegations in the claim have not been tested in court and no statements of defence have been filed.

Halcrow's 14-year-old daughter, Helena, died at the Children's Hospital, Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg on Dec. 18, 2022, a day after being flown there by air ambulance from the Thompson General Hospital. 

Helena's first visit to the hospital in Thompson that week was on Dec. 15, 2022, according to the claim. She had a fever for five days, chills, nausea and vomiting, in addition to two days of "increasing shortness of breath and chest pain," the claim said. 

The claim said the teen was diagnosed with the flu, "provided with the drug Tamiflu" and sent home. 

Helena was taken from her home back to the hospital by ambulance the next day, the claim said. 

"She presented to the emergency room with worsening shortness of breath, chest pain, cough with brown sputum and ongoing vomiting," according to the claim.

The girl was diagnosed with a left ear infection, was given antibiotics, instructed to continue using Tamiflu and later sent home, the claim said. 

Halcrow said in the statement of claim that her daughter was "in acute respiratory distress" when she was sent home from the hospital after the second visit. 

"The plaintiff further states that Helena required admission to the hospital and ongoing medical care." 

The lawsuit alleges "it was reasonably foreseeable that sending Helena home would endanger her life by permitting development of septic and hypovolemic shock." 

Helena went to hospital by ambulance again on Dec. 17 where she arrived around 11 a.m.

She was in "critical condition" upon arrival and having trouble breathing, had a rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, vomiting blood and had hives on her arm, according to the claim.

A doctor named in the lawsuit treated Helena with epinephrine and tried to resuscitate her, the claim states. 

The doctor waited "approximately one hour to intubate Helena," the claim alleges. 

Helena was then airlifted to HSC Children's Hospital in Winnipeg where she arrived around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17, 2022 and was directly admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, where she was assessed for septic and hypovolemic shock, according to the claim. 

She died the next day. 

Mother seeking thousands in damages

The lawsuit also alleges the defendants contributed to Helena's death in a number of ways. They include discharging her after the second visit to hospital, failing to consult pediatric specialists during the second visit and not doing adequate screening during the second hospital visit. 

Halcrow, who is an early childhood educator in Thompson, is seeking thousands in damages on behalf of herself and eight other relatives. She is also seeking an award of costs against each defendant.  

In a statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Northern Health Region said they can't comment on a lawsuit as the matter is before the courts.