A coroner ruled that the death of Noah Souvatzis, who was 19 months old when he was mistakenly sent home from hospital as was preventable.
He fell ill while he was on holiday in December 2021. His parents, Steph and Ben, took him to a local urgent care center.
There, a nurse noted that he had an increased heart rate and lethargy.
After being advised by the nurse, Noah was taken to the Wangaratta Hospital.
There, he was diagnosed with gastro and given a discharge.
His condition continued to deteriorate, and his parents took him to a different medical facility.
He was then sent to a children’s hospital in Melbourne due to bacterial meningitis.
On December 30, he was declared brain dead. The following day, he died.
The coroner, Katherine Lorenz, ruled that his death was preventable.
She noted that the hospital did not provide the appropriate care for him when he was admitted.