‘Baby Archie was a gift

A family has said “words cannot describe our experience” after their one-year-old baby died at a Kent hospital.

Archie Squire suffered heart failure – just days after his first birthday – following repeated visits to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate.

An inquest into Archie’s death heard that a serious incident investigation report by the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust found there were “missed opportunities to diagnose him appropriately” during his treatment that could have prevented his death.

The trust expressed its “heartfelt condolences” to the family. It did not issue a further comment to the BBC.

Archie’s godmother Nikki Escudier told the inquest they had “368 precious days” with him that were “filled with warmth and love”.

“He was more than a baby – he was a gift,” she said at North East Kent Coroner’s Court in Maidstone.

Holding back tears, Ms Escudier added his life had been “heartbreakingly short”.

Describing the last moments of Archie’s life as doctors tried to resuscitate him, his mother Lauren Parrish said the family was told by hospital staff his heart was beating, but “not as it should be”.

“We agreed to let him go,” she said in a statement read out by coroner Sarah Clarke.

“We all gave Archie a kiss.”

Archie, who had a rare heart condition, died in the early hours of 23 November following two cardiac arrests.

He had been taken to hospital the day after his first birthday with constipation and vomiting.

Archie was reviewed in the A&E and Urgent Care Centre at QEQM Hospital more than 10 times over his life with symptoms including constipation, breathlessness and failure to thrive.

Ms Parrish, from Dover, recalled her son was labelled a “mystery child” because doctors were not sure what was wrong with him.

Ms Parrish said in the statement read out at the inquest her son would cry in pain “a lot”.

She described how he frequently became unsettled and would struggle to breathe, which became worse at night.

“He was making strange grunting noises,” Ms Parrish added.

In a joint statement, the family said “lessons are not being learned” from Archie’s death.

“Fundamental failings remain that will continue to put children and babies at risk,” they added. “Parents are being ignored and opportunities are still being missed.”

Archie’s parents have also said hospital staff showed a “lack of compassion” after their son died.

The inquest started on 19 May and is set to last six days.