Grieving parents have slammed doctors for a ‘list of errors’ following their son’s death from the flesh-eating virus, just days after he was diagnosed with tonsillitis during a GP phone consultation.
Luke Abrahams, 20, felt ill last month and complained of a sore throat before a phone call with his GP who prescribed antibiotics.
A few days later, the railway engineer and amateur footballer started having pain in his legs, so his parents took him to the hospital.
Luke was sent home but his condition worsened until he begged his parents to call 999 – saying he ‘couldn’t take the pain any longer’ – but an ambulance was refused.
He was taken into surgery at Northampton General Hospital on 23 January, but died on the operating table, where he told his father: ‘Dad, I’ll be fine, you take care of Jake and Mum.’
A post-mortem examination revealed that he had suffered from Lemierre’s syndrome – a form of bacterial infection – and necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease.
Grieving parents have slammed doctors for a ‘list of errors’ after their son died of a flesh-eating virus – days later it was dismissed as tonsillitis. Pictured: Luke with his mother Julie Needham
A post-mortem examination revealed that he had suffered from Lemierre’s syndrome – a form of bacterial infection – and necrotizing fasciitis – a flesh-eating disease. Pic: Luke with his father Richard Abraham
Luke was considered super healthy and was an amateur footballer as well as a railway engineer
His heartbroken parents, Richard Abraham, 60, and Julie Needham, 49, have since blasted doctors, accusing them of a ‘list of errors’.
The couple, from Northampton, are now considering suing the NHS, claiming medics missed a string of chances to potentially save their son.
Currys manager Mr Abrahams said: ‘No one has claimed responsibility for his death.
‘When he first went to the doctors and then complained of pain in his leg, he should have got more tests done.
What is the point of talking to the doctor on the phone?
‘Doctors need to see you in person to give you the correct diagnosis and that’s why he was misdiagnosed.
‘In the end it was an emergency, but they didn’t see it because they thought she just had tonsillitis and sciatica.’
The father said: ‘I can’t say whether he would be here now for sure, but they cut corners and misdiagnosed him.
Luke’s devastated parents criticize the doctors, accusing them of a ‘list of errors’. Pictured: Luke with his parents and his 16-year-old brother Jake (right)
She died on the operating table on 23 January, where she told her father: ‘Dad, I’ll be fine, you take care of Jake and Mum’.
Luke was the older brother of his sixteen-year-old brother Jake (left)
‘Any way you look at it, no healthcare provider did their job properly. We are just left with ‘what if’.
Luke was initially diagnosed with tonsillitis after calling his GP at Penvale Medical Centre, East Hunsbury, Northampton, on 15 January.
Two days later he was still feeling unwell so he called his GP but couldn’t get through and dialed 111 when no one called back.
The operator advised the 20-year-old to go to A&E where she was told she would be put on an intravenous drip.
However, his family said this never happened and Luke left the hospital without receiving treatment.
The next day, Luke wakes up with pain in his leg that has persisted throughout the night.
The family called 111, and a doctor organized a Zoom call consultation where he diagnosed Luke with sciatica and prescribed him naproxen — a strong pain reliever.
A day later Luke’s leg pain had gotten worse and had spread to his left buttock, leaving him unable to get out of bed.
The 20-year-old was initially diagnosed with tonsillitis after calling his GP at Painvale Medical Centre, East Hunsbury, Northampton, on 15 January.
Luke’s parents are considering suing the NHS – claiming medics missed a string of chances to potentially save their son
Mr Abrahams said: ‘This is a list of errors. No one is going to bring him back but I want these people to be punished’
His mother called 999 and insisted that Luke’s condition was critical, begging them to send an ambulance, which was refused.
Despite calling Pennvale Medical Center to arrange transportation to take her to A&E, no one called her back.
Ms Needham said: ‘I was feeling hopeless because I couldn’t get out of bed to take my son to A&E and just needed help.
‘No one was offering support and Luke was in a critical condition.’
An ambulance eventually arrived at the family home but paramedics said she had a high heart rate and temperature down to fight off an infection.
Two days later, on 22 January, Luke told his mother ‘I couldn’t take the pain anymore’ and the family again called 111 who sent an ambulance.
Ms Needham said: ‘They took her to hospital for further tests and that was it, we got a call from Luke at 1am saying, ‘Can you come down, they want to see you,’ and that’s when we were told He has a 50/50 chance of survival.
‘The doctors said she’s really bad, she has this bacterial infection and it’s a life-threatening condition.
‘We were shocked but thinking to ourselves, ‘they can save him’, we trusted them.
They said it is a life-threatening operation and we may have to amputate his leg. They amputated his leg but said he had gone too far.
‘I think Luke knew he was going to die after what he said on the operating table.
‘He said,’ ‘Dad, I’ll be fine, you take care of Jake and Mom’.
‘That’s when I thought he knew he was going to die. Luke was trying to protect us because he’s Luke.
‘We saw 20 people working on him in the theater and he couldn’t walk.’
The couple, who also have a young son Jake, 16, have launched a legal bid to find out why so many mistakes were made.
The father said: ‘Me and Julie were due to get married this year and Luke was going to be best man and it’s so heartbreaking that he won’t be there to do it.
‘We are not going to stop fighting this case and want answers. I don’t want sympathy, I want answers.
‘This is a list of errors. No one is going to bring him back but I want these people to be punished.
‘I’m not taking anything out of it, ‘we’ll learn from our mistakes’, there’s a lot going on, someone should have taken him for a proper trial.
‘I hope they feel guilty for all this. We are making the parents sad. I don’t want to see sad parents anymore.’
A spokesman for Integrated Care Northamptonshire said: ‘On behalf of the NHS at Northamptonshire, we would like to express our deepest sympathies to the family and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
‘All providers are reviewing the care and treatment provided in this case and until their review is complete it would not be appropriate to comment further.’