Inquest into the Death of JM (Name Subject to Suppression Order)

0y · Male·dehydration complicating diarrhoea (aetiology unknown)

A 10-week-old infant in out-of-home care in a remote Western Australian community developed acute diarrhoea and fever one day after routine immunisation. Despite appropriate initial care by foster parents and timely hospital presentation, he died from dehydration of unknown aetiology. The coroner found care was appropriate but identified systemic gaps: the Department had not formally initiated health care planning despite extensive medical involvement, and remote communities lacked targeted education about recognising dehydration in young infants. Key lessons include the need for formal health care planning in child protection cases, better education of parents and remote healthcare workers about early signs of infant dehydration, and ensuring remote nursing staff have skills in nasogastric rehydration for infants under three months.