'Chaos' as critically ill child dies in hospital

Artemis Sanson was described as 'kind' by his mum

The parents of a 20-month-old toddler have described how their son died amid hospital "chaos" four hours after they heard him crying in bed.

Artemis Sanson, or Arty as he was known to his family, passed away in June 2024 after suffering "complex febrile seizures".

His parents believe their son's emergency treatment faced delays.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust told the BBC it had no comment to make at the moment, but "will be issuing a statement once the inquest has concluded".

Storm Sanson, Arty's mother, told the inquest that she had found her son in bed covered in vomit with mottled skin and blue lips.

Arty was born with a hole in his heart which was operated on and his parents had been warned to call 999 if they noticed similar symptoms to what he was experiencing.

Ms Sanson described how the ambulance journey lasted about an hour as paramedics tried to treat her son's multiple seizures.

Storm and Jamie, the boy's parents, said there was a scene of "chaos" when they arrived at the hospital

After arriving at Medway Maritime Hospital she said doctors were "arguing with each other and no one could seem to agree" about the best treatment plan for Arty.

She said: "No parent wants to watch their child die in front of their eyes but I can promise you that it is etched into my brain."

Jamie Stephenson, Arty's father, said there was "chaos" in the room where his son was being treated.

"A lot of the staff seemed blasé about the whole situation," he said.

"There was a lot of joking and two nurses were talking about what outfits they would wear at the weekend."

Consultant paediatric pathologist Dr Liina Palm, who oversaw Arty's post-mortem examination, told coroner Catherine Wood she believed a pneumonia infection and sepsis played a part in the child's death.

"Sepsis can become very rapid, and in my opinion that might explain why it would be so sudden" she said.

The inquest has been adjourned.