Family Feels ‘Cheated’ After 20-Year-Old Daughter’s Sepsis Death

An ambulance is seen a file photo. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

The family of a 20-year-old UK woman said they feel “cheated” after she died from sepsis after a routine operation.

Chloe Rideout was hospitalized with a burst appendix, and after the operation, she was sent back home. She was sent to another hospital a day later, where she died, Fox News reported.

An investigation into her cause of death is underway.

“We feel sad and empty. Cheated. I was so much looking forward to one day when I had the chance to walk her down the aisle,” her father, Dave Rideout, an estate agent, was quoted as saying.

“Both [Sharon, his wife] and I were constantly talking about what we were going to do with our grandchildren when they came along. We are absolutely devastated by our loss and the fact that it was avoidable,” he said.

Fox reported that Rideout went to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon, for the operation on her appendix. She was discharged nearly one week later on Oct. 13. A day later, she fell ill at home and was sent to Royal Cornwall Hospital Trelisk in Truro.

“We didn’t know what sepsis was. The Sepsis Trust visits schools, doctors, and hospitals to educate and raise awareness of this problem, so hopefully, another young person doesn’t lose their life and another family doesn’t have to live the nightmare we are going through,” her father said. “Chloe was only 20. She was lovely and only ever thought of others. Please give generously so no other innocent person dies.”

“I can’t imagine a Christmas without Chloe so if I can raise awareness that will be a help,” he said.

Melissa Mead, a UK woman who has tried to raise awareness about sepsis after her son died before his first birthday in 2014, issued a statement.

“She died in Treliske hospital in Cornwall but she was discharged from Derriford and the sepsis should have been picked up before she was discharged,” Mead said, according to The Sun. “There was a significant delay because of the discharge. She went in with what turned out to be a burst appendix but she wasn’t operated on for 50 hours.”

“After the operation, she was showing signs of sepsis but she was discharged,” she continued. “When the medics got to her they immediately knew what was going on and rushed her to Treliske and they did everything they could, but it was too late by that point.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, sepsis “is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to an infection.”

“The body normally releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight an infection. Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to these chemicals is out of balance, triggering changes that can damage multiple organ systems. If sepsis progresses to septic shock, blood pressure drops dramatically. This may lead to death,” the website says.

It says: “Sepsis ranges from less to more severe. As sepsis worsens, blood flow to vital organs, such as your brain, heart and kidneys, becomes impaired. Sepsis can also cause blood clots to form in your organs and in your arms, legs, fingers and toes—leading to varying degrees of organ failure and tissue death [gangrene]. Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the average mortality rate for septic shock is about 40 percent. Also, an episode of severe sepsis may place you at higher risk of future infections.”