‘She would still be alive,’ says family of seven-month-old who died at Wesfleur Hospital in Atlantis
A family from Atlantis are in mourning after their seven-month-old baby died and the state hospital negligence contributed to their daughter’s death.
Audrey Jansen, 29, from Sherwood Park has been left shattered after the loss of her third child, Kayde.
Speaking to IOL, Jansen said on Wednesday, October 30, she was referred to Wesfleur Hospital after visiting the Saxonsea Clinic.
She immediately went to the hospital and was told her daughter was fine and discharged after she received syrup for fever.
Her daughter had gone for x-rays, and received the diarrhoea solution (salt, water, and sugar solution,) and was supposed to receive antibiotics, but, by the time all procedures were cleared the hospital pharmacy had closed and she was advised to get the medication the following day.
“On Thursday, October 31, we were back at the hospital. Kayde was given syrup for her fever. Her fever was 39.5°C. That machine was making loud sounds. She was on a [saline] drip. Kayde just finished her second drip and her third one had barely started when the nurse came around and removed it. Kayde’s grandmother asked why and the nurse said the doctor claimed she was fine. This was a young doctor who had just popped in doing rounds before 5pm and must have seen my daughter take a sip of juice at that moment. Her first time she actually drank something and decided it was all okay. I was again told to get the antibiotics the next day,” the grieving mother said.
The family left the hospital and returned home, not knowing the following day would change their lives forever.
On November 1, Kayde was exactly seven months old.
“Thursday evening Kayde was making strange sounds as if she could not breathe. I thought perhaps the medication just needed to start working. Just after 1am my mother took Kayde so I could sleep. After 4am when I took my child I could see she was weak. When I saw her clothes my mother stated it was the third set of clothing. I started crying and got dressed immediately. I then went to the house of my former mother-in-law (Kayde’s grandmother),” Jansen said.
The mother of three said she knew her mother-in-law would be awake as it was early and she would be getting done for work. They could not get a taxi for the hospital so they decided to walk with the baby.
As Jansen and her mother-in-law got to the hospital, the frustrated grandmother said it was the third day and were immediately directed to observations.
By the time the doctor came, she said it seemed her daughter was in a coma.
She said the doctor asked who discharged her daughter the day before and he spoke to the doctor. It seemed they exchanged words. Both of them started working on her daughter.
“When the doctor came he said: ‘mammie, ek is jammer, jou babatjie is baie baie sick’ (mommy, I am so sorry but your baby is very very ill). The doctor asked me if they could cut one side of Kayde’s hair to place a drip in her head. I just sat there crying. He told me to be strong for my baby as she was very sick. He then told me to get our things together as we would be going to Somerset [Hospital]. As he was about to leave us, blood started coming from her mouth and nose. I screamed for the doctor,” Jansen said.
She was immediately directed to the waiting room where again, she was told just how sick her daughter was.
Jansen said she went outside to get some air but soon the doctor came running down the passage, he took her into a room and told her to let her child’s father and family know they needed to come to the hospital. She asked why and he told her things didn’t look good.
“I pleaded with him to save her. To get her to Red Cross. He said even if he got a helicopter she would not even make it outside. He took my mother’s number and called her. He said he would try his best to save her and told me to go see where my mom them where as they stated they were almost at the hospital,” Jansen told IOL.
The mother of three said she went outside and this time the doctor came running down the passage again with dreadful news.
“He came up to me and said sorry, she didn’t make it. I cried. I ran to Kayde. I held her and asked her to please wake up. I told her mommy can’t live without you,” she cried.
The grieving mother said she was told her daughter would be going for a post-mortem and I could no longer touch her as it could lead to bruising on her body. Then another nurse came asking who our undertakers were and said they needed to come collect my child’s body.
“I was confused because I was under the impression my daughter was going to the Salt River mortuary. I asked my aunt what this meant. The nurse then told us they spoke to the head doctor who stated there was no need for a post-mortem as it was a natural death because of her ailments including diarrhoea,” she said.
The mother said she believes her daughter would be alive today if the hospital did not keep discharging them and sending them home with syrup for fever.
“She would still be alive. I feel she would have been able to make it if they had helped us properly on Wednesday instead of sending us home with syrup. After the doctor told us Kayde died it was like they wanted nothing to do with us. My child was lying there in bloodied clothes, tied up to machines until the undertakers collected her almost three hours later. I am still confused as to how quickly it changed from going for a post-mortem to all of a sudden it was a natural death,” Jansen told IOL.
The provincial health department’s communications officer for the southern western sub-structures, Natalie Watlington conveyed the department’s condolences to the family.
“Losing a child is a tragic loss to any parent, as well as the medical team who tried to save the life of the child. The Western Cape Government Health and Wellness can confirm that the baby was referred from Saxon Sea Clinic to Wesfleur Hospital, where he was treated on October 30 and 31, 2024 for diarrhoea and vomiting. A chest X-ray was also done, where after the baby was also treated for a chest infection. Staff provided the best possible care for the baby by treating the symptoms appropriately and monitoring the little one until the child’s condition improved and he was discharged with medication to help clear the infection,” Watlington said.
She said the hospital did their job in providing medical attention to the baby.
“The baby's medical needs were adequately provided for by Wesfleur Hospital, which resulted in an improvement in the baby’s condition from lethargic to alert and awake, and therefore a referral to Red Cross Children's Hospital was not required. On November 1, 2024, the mother brought her baby back to Wesfleur Hospital, and despite all efforts to treat and then resuscitate the baby, she passed away. It was confirmed that the baby's death was due to natural causes. The hospital has provided compassionate care and counselling to the family and extends further counselling to the family if needed,” Watlington said.
However, Jansen shot back stating this was a lie.
“Counselling? What a big lie. We have never heard from the hospital since we were told my baby died. I was the one who asked for antibiotics but they kept telling me to come the next day,” Jansen said.
Jansen said her family is struggling to come to terms with her daughter’s death.
“It’s been so hard. Two years ago I lost my husband and now I also lose my daughter to death. My in-laws are currently looking after my two children because I cannot cope. I keep seeing her die on that bed. My eldest daughter is not coping. Kayde was a sweet child and I keep thinking about what she would be doing now,” she said.
Kayde was buried on November 9.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL