Scurvy listed as most likely factor in 6yo Qld boy's death
The Queensland coroner found a six-year-old boy had a severe vitamin C deficiency when he died after suffering a cardiac arrest in 2024.
A six-year-old boy from Queensland named Connor Dean died in 2024 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a general anaesthetic procedure at Queensland Children's Hospital. The most likely underlying factor contributing to his death was severe vitamin C deficiency, which also led to other life-threatening complications such as scurvy and a severe brain injury due to a lack of oxygen.
Down syndrome was identified as a contributing factor, but the precise mechanism leading to the cardiac arrest could not be definitively determined. Connor had a pre-existing heart defect and was developmentally delayed, requiring assistance with walking. His parents were unaware of his vitamin C deficiency until after his cardiac arrest.
His paediatrician had expressed concerns about his growth and nutritional deficiencies for a long time, but he believed his needs were met with multivitamin supplements. The manufacturer of the multivitamin product argued that it was not intended to treat severe deficiencies and was meant to supplement when dietary intake was inadequate.
However, this did not sway the coroner's conclusion that Connor's death was most likely caused by his severe vitamin C deficiency.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
