Coroner’s Court to probe death of toddler Dio Kemp who died from sepsis after multiple hospital visits

The Victorian Coroner’s Court will examine the death of a toddler with down syndrome who died from septic shock following an alleged misdiagnosis.

Dio Kemp, 3, died from sepsis after repeated visits to the hospital.

A coronial inquest will probe the death of a toddler with down syndrome who died from sepsis following repeated visits to hospital.

Dio Kemp, 3, was taken to Monash Medical Centre four times, presenting with a fever, high heart rate and facial rash before she died from septic shock, which occurs when the body damages its own tissues and organs as it fights off an infection, in late 2019.

At the Victorian Coroner’s Court on Thursday, a date for an inquest was set for August.

Last year the Herald Sun revealed the girl’s mother had launched civil action against Monash Medical Centre, alleging they were negligent after maintaining her daughter had viral gastroenteritis while failing to consider a bacterial infection or sepsis as a potential diagnosis.

On November 21, Dio’s mother took her to the hospital’s emergency department where she told staff her daughter had been feverish for three days and had begun developing a facial rash that had spread across her forehead and cheeks.

Dio had a fever and was given pain killers before she was discharged.

She was taken back on three more occasions but the mother alleged Dio’s vital signs were not checked and her pleas for blood tests and antibiotics were again ignored.

The infant was rushed to hospital the following week where her condition deteriorated.

She was placed on life support but died from septic shock.