Unidentified Infection Leads To Death Of 12-Year-Old Boy From Queens

Rory Stauton, 12, was playing basketball in his school gym when he decided to dive for a ball. The dive led to a small cut which at the time only required a Band-Aid. However, the seemingly harmless cut he received led to an infection that brought on severe septic shock and quickly resulted in his untimely and unexpected death.

Stauton’s parents took him to the pediatrician the next day because the young boy was vomiting, feverish, and feeling pain in his leg. The pediatrician sent Stauton to the emergency room at NYU Langone Medical Center for evaluation. While he was in the ER, the doctors checked his vital signs and performed blood work. They determined he was suffering from dehydration and an upset stomach and the doctors sent him home after giving him fluids and Tylenol.

Three days later Stauton died in the intensive care unit. The hospital records state that the cause of death was severe septic shock brought on by infection.

Stauton’s parents later learned that their son’s vital signs and blood work told a different story. Stauton’s vital signs were extremely weak while in the emergency room, before being sent home, and his blood work indicated he was fighting an infection.

Stauton’s parents have hired an attorney, however, they have yet to determine their course of action.

Streptococcus pyogenes is the bacterium that leads to sepsis, and other infections such as strep throat or impetigo. Sepsis occurs when the bacteria actually penetrates soft tissue or blood. Most doctors do not recognize sepsis when it initially sets.

A group of hospitals in the greater NYC area have begun administering antibiotics an hour after detecting sepsis in their emergency rooms in order to combat this deadly and fast-moving infection.

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