5-year-old girl tragically dies after doctors misdiagnosed her Strep A infection as common cold
'It could’ve been treated with just a normal course of antibiotics,' said the devastated father Justin Sutton
NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA: A five-year-old little girl reportedly lost her life after she was, allegedly, repeatedly misdiagnosed by her doctors. Cathy Kassis, also known as Cassie, leaves behind a heartbroken family who told 7News that doctors mistook strep A, from which the child was actually suffering, for a common cold.
However, the young girl ended up saving the lives of three other young people when her parents decided to donate her organs after her tragic death.
What happened to Cathy Kassis?
Cathy’s father Justin Sutton reportedly said that during the initial diagnosis, doctors informed them that their daughter had a cold and she would be fine soon.
The father shared, “After three days she had lost her voice completely, so we were obviously a bit concerned. But the doctors just said it was a viral infection and to keep doing what we’re doing and let it run its course.”
However, things worsened when Cathy “wasn’t breathing properly”.
“It was almost like an asthma attack or what it’s like to watch someone with emphysema trying to breathe,” Sutton revealed.
But medical experts again claimed that the child had a cold. Though they conducted COVID-19 and RSV tests on her, the results were negative.
Cathy pronounced brain dead after lips turned blue
Cathy’s condition did not get better and some days later, her mother Jasmine discovered that the little one’s lips turned blue in color.
Sutton explained, “She was going in and out of consciousness and had sort of collapsed in Jaz’s arms.
“So I started CPR while on the phone to triple-0, and I was doing that for 10 to 15 minutes before the ambulance arrived, and they took over CPR while I set up the defibrillator.”
Cathy was rushed to Westmead Children’s Hospital via air. But she could not be saved.
The devastated father mentioned, “On the 28th of August we had a meeting, and they told us she had been pronounced as brain dead. The coroner found the cause of death was strep A, and Westmead had found that out through a simple throat swab.”
‘She epitomises a real life superhero’
Cathy, however, gave a second chance at life to three people.
Her father told 7News, “On September 1st — which actually happens to be Jersey Day (a day dedicated to raising awareness for organ donation) — she donated three organs, and all three recipients are now expected to make a full recovery.”
“I just want people to know who Cathy is and what she was able to do. She epitomises a real life superhero, and not many people can say that,” Sutton said.
He noted, “Something that’s been the worst moment of our lives ... at least she was able to save three other families, which is a beautiful thing.”
Devastated family reflects on loss
The father went on to say, “We’ve got that real feeling of numbness, which is good in a way because we’re able to get on with things and focus on the funeral. But we know our darker days are ahead of us.”
“It could’ve been treated with just a normal course of antibiotics. But what I’ve said to everyone is we’re going to worry about those doctors later because that’s a fight for a different day," said Sutton.
"We really just want people to be aware of it and to tell people to trust their instinct when something doesn’t feel right,” Sutton added, warning parents not to blindly trust doctors.
