A Little Life Lost: Medical Mistakes and a Family's Grief

A Child's Life Cut Short

A young child's life was tragically cut short due to a series of medical errors. De'Markus Page, just 2 years old, was taken to AdventHealth Ocala Hospital in March 2024. He had been crying a lot, had diarrhea, and wasn't eating. Doctors found he had a virus and low potassium levels. They treated him with an IV and sent him to another hospital for better care.

A Fatal Mistake

At UF Health Shands in Gainesville, doctors found his potassium levels were still too low. They gave him medicine to fix this, but they made a big mistake. They gave him 10 times the right amount. This happened because a doctor left out a decimal point in the dose. The child's family says the hospital didn't watch him closely enough. They didn't check his heart or his blood during this time.

The Overdose and Its Consequences

The overdose was very dangerous. It caused De'Markus's heart to stop within 30 minutes. Doctors tried to help, but they had trouble putting a tube in his throat to help him breathe. It took them 20 minutes to do this. The child was on life support for two weeks, but he didn't get better. Doctors said his brain was badly damaged. He died on March 18, 2024.

The Family's Struggle

The family is very sad and confused. They don't know exactly what happened. The mother, Dominique Page, says she keeps having nightmares about it. She wants answers but hasn't gotten any. The family has sued the hospital, saying the mistakes made by the doctors killed their son.

The Importance of Medical Care

Medical mistakes can have terrible results. This case shows how important it is for doctors to be careful. It also shows how hard it is for families when something like this happens. They not only lose their child but also struggle to understand why.