The parents of nine-year-old Dylan Cope have been left heartbroken after an inquest found that his death was caused by “gross failure of basic care” at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran. Dylan, described as “loving” and “feisty,” died from sepsis after being wrongly discharged despite a GP’s warning of suspected appendicitis.
Dylan had been taken to A&E on 6 December 2022 with severe abdominal pain, and his GP had flagged appendicitis in a referral note. But tragically, that note wasn’t read by the staff, and Dylan was sent home. Just eight days later, on 14 December, he passed away from sepsis caused by a perforated appendix, reported the Mirror.
Senior Coroner Caroline Saunders didn’t mince words in her ruling at the inquest this May, stating that a series of avoidable errors amounted to a “gross failure of basic care.” She was clear that Dylan’s death could have been prevented had he received the treatment he needed. “His death was contributed to by neglect,” she concluded.
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which oversees the hospital, issued a public apology on 30 April 2025. “We fully accept the coroner’s conclusions and take full responsibility for the failings in his care,” said a spokesperson. “His death was preventable… losing a child is beyond words.”
The health board has promised changes, including working with the UK Sepsis Trust on a campaign to raise awareness of sepsis symptoms among staff and the wider public. They are also collaborating with Dylan’s mum, Corinne Cope, to shape the campaign and push for better systems.
But for Dylan’s family, no amount of reform can undo what’s happened. Speaking to WalesOnline, Corinne described the horror of losing her youngest son. “We have had to fight for answers that to us were painfully obvious,” she said. “The system is broken and urgently needs change.”
She continued: “Dylan was our youngest son, a little boy with his whole life ahead of him. As a family, we have to adjust to being four instead of five. Our circle is forever broken. This pain will last our entire lives, not just through this hearing.”
The Cope family is now living through what Corinne calls a “nightmare,” one they say could have been avoided if basic care had been followed. They hope that Dylan’s story becomes a wake-up call — and that no other family suffers in the same way.
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