Two-year-old girl from Newport died from viral infection

Wyatt Rose Wheeler died on the morning of November 6, 2020, aged two.

At the time of her death, Wyatt's mum Laura, known to her friends as Elle, said: “She was our everything.”

Newport Coroner’s Court heard how Wyatt had been suffering with cold-like symptoms in the days leading up to her death.

On November 4, her parents noticed she was struggling with her breathing.

The mother of Wyatt Rose Wheeler described her as "our everything". Picture: Family photo.

Her mum first called a GP, and was offered an appointment for that afternoon. However, as Wyatt continued to struggle with her breathing, her parents called 999.

A paramedic arrived at their home on Cormorant Way in Duffryn at around midday, and assessed Wyatt.

“There was a hoarseness coming from her breathing. She was very pale in colour and lethargic,” said paramedic Robert Huish, via a statement read out in court.

“She needed to be seen at hospital. I hadn’t personally seen a child as unwell as Wyatt for a long time.”

An ambulance arrived, but during this time a neighbour had come over as her husband had collapsed at home. A decision was made for the ambulance to stay and treat him – for what turned out to be a cardiac arrest – while Mr Wheeler would take Wyatt to the Royal Gwent Hospital, with Mr Huish following behind in his rapid response vehicle.

At the hospital, Wyatt was assessed by nurses just after 1pm and a second set of observations were conducted at around 3pm.

Wyatt Rose Wheeler and her family. Picture: Family photo.

Dr Owain Davies, at the time a registrar at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, diagnosed Wyatt with tonsilitis – as her tonsils were swollen and had pus around them, and due to her breathing.

Dr Davies discharged Wyatt after her observations came back as within the normal range, but prescribed her with antibiotics to “err on the side of caution” in case it was a bacterial infection.

Senior coroner for Gwent Caroline Saunders asked Dr Davies if Wyatt’s treatment would’ve been any different – apart from the antibiotics – if he believed she had been suffering from a viral infection.

“No,” he replied.

The court heard that Wyatt’s parents recalled she was “sniffily” on the night of November 5.

The following morning, they found her unresponsive. Paramedics were called, but despite attempts to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at 8.48am.

Ms Saunders concluded that Wyatt died from natural causes.

“Wyatt Rose Wheeler died on November 6, 2020, at her home address from viral bronchiolitis,” she said.

She added that she was satisfied that doctors performed “a thorough examination” on November 4, and that there had been “no evidence of a serious condition” which would have seen Wyatt given any different treatment.