Father devastated after baby dies at Winnipeg Children’s Hospital

A critical incident review is being done following the death of a six-month-old boy at the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg. Jeff Keele reports.

A critical incident review is underway following the death of a six-month old boy at the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital.

The father, Lu Teng, is questioning the care provided to his infant son.

“We’ll never get through this,” said Teng.

Teng says his son Luca was born in July with a condition where his esophagus does not connect to his stomach. Luca required several procedures to stretch and widen his esophagus.

“His mom thinks this baby, bright as hope, for our life,” said Teng. “Brightness like sunshine.”

But in mid-January, following his eighth medical procedure, Teng noticed something was wrong and took Luca to the emergency room at the Children’s Hospital.

“He had some problems with drinking, coughing, choke,” said Teng.

Teng says at the hospital they discovered a hole in Luca’s esophagus, potentially a complication from the last procedure. He says his vital signs were being monitored but Teng says Luca was not doing well, and he was altering staff at the hospital.

After ten hours from when they first arrived, his dad says Luca was rushed into emergency surgery and did not survive.

Teng believes if he’d gotten care earlier, Luca would still be alive.

“I fully trusted them,” said Teng.

Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says proper protocols were followed for a case like Luca’s, but a critical incident review has been ordered.

“We also need to understand if there was an opportunity here that the health team can learn from moving forward,” said Asagwara. “I know that they were following protocol specific to the condition to that this child has.”

Dr. Patricia Birk, Shared Health’s lead for child health, says the day Luca was at the Children’s Hospital emergency room, staffing was at full capacity and beds were available.

“When the infant presented to the emergency department the triaging protocols or processes were appropriately followed,” said Birk.

Birk says a preliminary critical incident report is expected within 30 days, and a full report within 90 days.

Teng says he was told to expect the report in May or June.