After Doctors Misdiagnosed Her with a Cold, a 5-Year-Old Girl Died from a Treatable Illness Common in Children
Cassie, a lively five-year-old girl, died from a treatable bacterial infection after being repeatedly misdiagnosed by doctors who insisted she had a simple virus. It all started with mild symptoms — a sore throat and hoarse voice — but within days, Cassie lost her voice completely. Her parents, Jasmine and Justin, were worried and took her to the doctor, who told them it was just a seasonal virus and sent them home without running any tests.
As Cassie’s condition worsened and her breathing became strained, her parents rushed her to the emergency room. There, she tested negative for COVID-19 and RSV. Still, doctors believed it was just a virus and again discharged her without checking for bacterial infections. In reality, Cassie had group A Streptococcus (strep A) — a common but potentially deadly bacterial infection that often affects school-aged children and can be easily treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early. No throat swab or bacterial test was done until it was too late.
Days later, at home, Cassie collapsed in her mother’s arms. Her lips turned blue, and she lost consciousness. Her stepfather performed CPR until…
