Deceased
LA
Demographics
5y, female
Date of death
2017-01-22
Finding date
2023-08-15
Cause of death
Hypoxic-ischaemic Encephalopathy due to methadone toxicity
AI-generated summary
LA, a five-year-old girl, died from hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy due to methadone toxicity on 22 January 2017. She ingested methadone at her grandfather's home while staying overnight; the grandfather was enrolled in a methadone maintenance program with takeaway doses stored in a kitchen cupboard. The exact mechanism of ingestion remains unclear, though investigation suggests LA could not have independently accessed the stored drug. Critical clinical lessons include: paramedics were slow to elicit that methadone was in the home; the grandfather did not check on LA for extended periods despite hot weather and her recent minor illness; once opioid-induced respiratory depression and hypoxia developed, naloxone proved ineffective as significant brain damage had already occurred. Early recognition of opioid toxicity and prompt respiratory support before hypoxic injury develops are essential. The coroner noted the case raises child protection concerns regarding supervision and safe storage of hazardous substances in homes with children.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
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Source and disclaimer
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