Inquest into hospital death of Luton girl who died of septicaemia

Posted 13/10/2014

An inquest will be heldtomorrow (15 October) into the death of a Luton girl who died in hospital following treatment for necrotizing fasciitis – also called the ‘flesh eating disease’. 

Claire Allnutt, 28, attended the accident and emergency department of Luton and Dunstable Hospital on 10 November 2013, feeling unwell and with breathing difficulties. She also had redness on her leg. She was admitted, and once she was in theatre it was realized she was suffering from necrotizing fasciitis. It required a preliminary six-hour operation and then further surgery over following weeks.

After two months in hospital she was preparing to go home when, during a visit by her partner, Dave Stickley, she began to feel unwell. She suffered several heart attacks and her condition deteriorated quickly. She died the next morning.

Her family’s lawyer is medical negligence specialist Carole Watts of Ashtons Legal. Carole explains that “it has been confirmed that Claire died of sepsis but it’s proper that we await the outcome of the inquest before making any further statement.”