Five-year-old Cathy Kassis was initially diagnosed with a simple cold, but her condition quickly worsened. Her breathing became labored, resembling an asthma attack, yet doctors failed to order bacterial tests. She was only screened for COVID-19 and RSV, both of which came back negative, leaving her without critical antibiotics.
Days later, Cathy’s health deteriorated further. She slipped in and out of consciousness, collapsing in her mother Jasmine’s arms. Her lips turned blue, and her stepfather, Justin, performed CPR for up to 15 minutes before paramedics arrived.
Cathy was airlifted to Westmead Children’s Hospital, where doctors continued CPR for 78 minutes. Although her heart was revived, prolonged oxygen loss caused irreversible brain damage. By the time tests confirmed the infection, her organs were already shutting down.
The true culprit was group A Streptococcus, a common but potentially deadly bacterial infection. Had it been identified earlier, antibiotics could have saved her life. Instead, the misdiagnosis proved fatal.