13-Year-Old Girl’s Agony Ignored as She’s Labeled a ‘Diva Teen’ While Begging for Relief

A 13-year-old girl, Chloe Longster, died in “unbearable pain” after delays in her care for sepsis, which medical staff initially dismissed as the behavior of a “dramatic teenager,” an inquest has revealed.

Chloe, described as a healthy and energetic teen, was admitted to Kettering General Hospital in November 2022 with pneumonia symptoms. She passed away just 18 hours later after developing sepsis. Her mother, Louise Longster, expressed her grief, stating that her daughter’s death was “completely preventable.”

Ms. Longster recounted that she repeatedly sought help from medical staff, but felt dismissed as a “mum who had been on Google,” while Chloe was labeled as a “diva teen.” She described how her daughter was in such severe pain that she even asked, “Am I going to die?” Ms. Longster added, “It’s haunting that the 13-year-old was the one who was right.”

During the first day of the week-long inquest at The Guildhall in Northampton, Ms. Longster testified that pain relief for Chloe was “delayed,” and in her final hours, she felt Chloe was treated with “contempt.” On the weekend before her death, Chloe had a cough and sniffles but was still well enough to attend a sleepover, told The Mirror.

Chloe, who had mild asthma and rarely used her inhaler, stayed home from school on Monday due to feeling unwell. When her symptoms worsened, including rib pain and vomiting, her mother rushed home to find Chloe’s condition deteriorating. Unable to get through to her GP, she called 999 but was informed that an ambulance would take two hours. Ms. Longster then drove Chloe to Kettering General Hospital herself.

At the hospital, Chloe’s condition was assessed, and she was given oral Oramorph for her pain. Despite this, Ms. Longster noted how pale and clammy Chloe appeared. Chloe, unable to walk, had to be taken inside in a wheelchair by her brother. In the pediatric A&E, Ms. Longster observed that Chloe’s pain was not adequately managed and that her pleas for further pain relief were largely ignored.

A doctor diagnosed Chloe with pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics, but Ms. Longster felt her concerns were dismissed. She was told, “We know about her and we’ll be round,” but felt staff were not taking Chloe’s condition seriously. Chloe’s oxygen levels eventually dropped, and when staff initially thought the machine was broken, the seriousness of her condition became apparent too late.

Chloe was moved to a side room after testing positive for Influenza A. As her condition deteriorated, more medical staff arrived, but by then, Ms. Longster felt it was too late. “It felt like Chloe hadn’t been taken seriously until that point,” she said. “She had asked me if she was going to die… It’s haunting that the 13-year-old was the one who was right.”

Dr. Marwan Gamaleldin, who assessed Chloe at the time, stated during the inquest that her sepsis screening score had not initially triggered further examination. He noted that while there was a shadow on Chloe’s lung indicating an infection, the lack of fever combined with a high heart rate raised red flags, leading him to consider other diagnoses.

The inquest will continue throughout the week as details emerge about the care Chloe received in her final hours.