The family of a Willenhall toddler has secured an out-of-court settlement after a Wolverhampton hospital apologised for failing to give him adequate pain relief in the days before he died.
Hudson Perrins died in June 2024, a month before his third birthday and four days after he was first taken to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton with severe stomach pain.
He was later transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital, where he died from multiple organ failure and sepsis caused by a urinary tract infection.
Hudson’s mother, nurse Kayleigh Taundry, has been supported by West Midlands law firm FBC Manby Bowdler in her claim against the Wolverhampton hospital.
She claimed they misdiagnosed the toddler with constipation which contributed to his death as well as failing to relieve his pain.
An inquest in December 2024 ruled that Hudson died from natural causes, with Black Country Coroner, Kelly Dixon hearing that the Trust had not followed its own guidelines when Hudson was first assessed in A&E.
Ms Taundry worked as a nurse for the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for 18 years but said she left her job in April this year as she felt she could no longer dedicate her time, skills and profession to a Trust that ‘failed her son’.
She said: "It's devastating to think that on top of everything else, Hudson was left in pain in his last few days when it didn't need to happen.
“Nothing will ever bring Hudson back, but it means a great deal to finally have it accepted that he should have been given pain relief and that his catheter should have been checked properly.
"I hope this settlement, and the failures it has brought to light, mean lessons are genuinely learned so another family doesn't have to go through what we have.”
The Trust denies that its diagnosis, and its decision not to investigate further, amounted to a breach of duty. It did admit that Hudson should have been given pain relief earlier, and staff should have checked how much fluid was draining into his catheter bag - but has not accepted that either failure caused his death.
Michael Portman-Hann, a partner with Midlands law firm FBC Manby Bowdler, has supported the family throughout. He said: “These were basic elements of care that were missed.
"While the Trust maintains that these failures didn't affect the eventual outcome for Hudson, his family will always be left wondering whether he suffered more than he should have in his final days, and that is something no parent should have to carry."
Hudson's family had claimed the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust were wrong to settle on a diagnosis of constipation without also testing for a urine infection and said further tests should have been carried out.
They claimed Hudson was not given sufficient pain relief and that staff failed to properly monitor his catheter once fitted, missing the fact that it was not draining.
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