Finding into death of David William James Hearn

57y · Male·Aspiration pneumonia in a man with cerebral palsy, intellectual disability and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

A 57-year-old man with cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome died from aspiration pneumonia following a short hospital admission. He had a history of recurrent aspiration pneumonia and was receiving nutrition via PEG tube. He presented with acute respiratory distress, hypoxia, and right-sided pneumonia. Despite antibiotic therapy and supportive measures, he deteriorated rapidly. The coroner found no preventable factors and confirmed death from natural causes. The case highlights the vulnerability of people with severe disability living in supported accommodation and the importance of advance care planning in this population, though no specific clinical failures were identified.