Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2025

Kwabena Amoateng

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2025-0429, written 19 Sep 2025. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report19 Sep 2025
Reference2025-0429
DeceasedKwabena Amoateng
CoronerGraeme Irvine
Coroner areaEast London
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

MR G IRVINE 
SENIOR CORONER 

EAST LONDON 

Walthamstow Coroner's Court, Queens Road Walthamstow, E17 8QP 

REGULATION 28:  REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1) 

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 

 Chief Nursing Officer, South East London ICB 

 Chief Executive Officer, South-East London Integrated Care 

1. 

2. 

System 

1 

CORONER 

I am Graeme Irvine, senior coroner, for the coroner area of East London 

2 

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS 

I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 
2009 and Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. 
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/schedule/5/paragraph/7 
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1629/part/7/made 

3 

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST 

On 24th September 2024, this Court commenced an investigation into the death of 
Kwabena Amoateng aged 17 years.  

Following an autopsy Kwabena’s medical cause of death was determined as; 

“1a Multiple organ failure 
 1b Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome 
 1c Acute negative pressure pulmonary oedema 
 1d Congenital Hypoventilation Syndrome, Upper airway obstruction. 
 II Primary pulmonary hypertension, hyaline membrane disease, lobar pneumonia” 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 An inquest was opened on 08/01/2025 which concluded on 4th July 2025 after a one-
day hearing  

The Inquest resulted in a narrative conclusion. 

Narrative conclusion: 
Kwabena Amoateng died in hospital on 23rd September 2024. 

Kwabena  was  a  17yr  old  boy  who  suffered  from  congenital  central  hypoventilation 
syndrome ('CCHS') a condition  that  impeded  his  ability to regulate his  own breathing. 
Kwabena was treated with non-invasive ventilation. 

On  16th  September  2024  Kwabena  developed  gastrointestinal  symptoms  consistent 
with  an  infection.  Infections  are  known  to  exacerbate  the  symptoms  of  CCHS  and 
properly, his mother escalated her concerns to Kwabena's doctors. 

On  18th  September  2024  Kwabena's  mother  called  111  who  sent  an  ambulance  to 
assess her son. The ambulance crew referred Kwabena for GP assessment as he was 
not found to be critically unwell or in need of hospital based treatment. Later that night, 
as no out of hours GP service was available for a child, Kwabena's mother called 111 
again,  a  second  ambulance  attended  in  the  early  hours  of  19th  September  2024  and 
although  Kwabena's  symptoms  had  developed  he  was  not  deemed  to  be  critically 
unwell, was not assessed to be conveyed to hospital and was referred for GP care. 

A  Paediatric  Respiratory  Action  Plan  ('PRAP')  had  been  produced  by  Kwabena's 
specialist  doctors  to  inform  healthcare  professionals  on  how  to  treat  his  complex 
condition  in  the  event  of  an  emergency.  That  document  was  not  available  to 
paramedics who assessed him on 18th or 19th September 2024. Had the PRAP been 
available,  it  is  probable  that  Kwabena  would  have  been  escalated  for  hospital 
admission. 

On the evening of the 21st September 2024 Kwabena became unwell whilst eating, he 
collapsed.  CPR  was  commenced  by  his  parents  and  999  was  called.  An  ambulance 
attended  promptly  and  experienced  significant  difficulty  in  managing  his  airway. 
Kwabena  was  transported  to  hospital  where  he  was  diagnosed  with  aspiration 
pneumonia. 
At hospital Kwabena suffered a cardiac arrest, he was resuscitated and transferred to 
intensive  care.  There,  despite  maximal  treatment  he  developed  acute  respiratory 
distress syndrome and died on 23rd September 2024.” 

ourt  CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

Kwabena Amoateng, a 17 yr old boy died in hospital on 23rd September 2024. 
Kwabena suffered from congenital central hypoventilation syndrome ('CCHS'). 
Kwabena fell ill on 16th September 2024, numerous contacts occurred with healthcare 
professionals over the next 5 days, including his GP, the 111 service, and the London 
Ambulance Service. It was not until the 21st September 2024 that he was eventually 
taken to hospital by ambulance where he subsequently died on 23rd September 2024. 

5 

CORONER’S CONCERNS 

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. 
In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the 
circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. 

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows.  –  

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.  The  inquest  found  that  a  critically  important  document  had  been  produced  by 
his specialist respiratory doctors to assist emergency healthcare professionals 
in  understanding  his  rare  and  potentially  dangerous  condition  -  CCHS.  The 
document, A Paediatric Respiratory Action Plan ('PRAP') set out the necessary 
steps to be considered should Kwabena fall ill. 

2.  During  Kwabena’s final  illness, those assessing him from 16th-21st September 
2024  were  unaware  of  this  vital  document  as  it  had  been  mislabelled  and 
misfiled within the online records available to them. 

3.  Had  the  PRAP  been  more  prominently  filed  it  is  likely  that  those  assessing 
Kwabena  would  have  escalated  his  treatment  to  admission  to  hospital  far 
earlier, which may have resulted in Kwabena’s life being saved. 

4.  An  investigation  into  why  the  PRAP  was  not  visible  to  emergency  services  in 
this  case  has  highlighted  that  there  is  no  coordinated  process  to  ensure  a 
consistent approach in producing and storing such documents in online clinical 
records. 

6 

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN 

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you 
[AND/OR your organisation] have the power to take such action.  

7 

YOUR RESPONSE 

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, 
namely by 14th November 2025. I, the coroner, may extend the period. 

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out 
the timetable for action. Otherwise, you must explain why no action is proposed. 

8 

COPIES and PUBLICATION 

I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested 
Persons the family of Kwabena Amoateng, CDOP. I have also sent it to the local 
Director of Public Health who may find it useful or of interest. 

I am also under a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner and all 
interested persons who in my opinion should receive it.   

I may also send a copy of your response to any other person who I believe may find it 
useful or of interest.  

The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary 
form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it 
useful or of interest.  

You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about 
the release or the publication of your response. 

9 

[DATE]  18 September 2025    [SIGNED BY CORONER] 

3

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