Girl, 15, Loses Her Life To Meningitis After Being Misdiagnosed With Stomach Bug

The parents of a 15-year-old girl who lost her life from meningitis days after becoming ill believe there were two chances missed by medical professionals to save her life, an inquest has heard.

Zara Cheesman’s mother and father said their “trust was completely misplaced” when the teenager was sent home from A&E (the accident and emergency department) without a bacterial meningitis diagnosis that they believe could have prevented the tragedy.

The parents also accused a team of ambulance technicians of downplaying Zara’s symptoms the day after she left the hospital.

Zara, from Nottingham, England, passed away at Queen’s Medical Centre two days before Christmas in 2024. The teenager had shown “red flags” of the disease that experts overlooked, Nottingham Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday (September 10).

Queen's Medical Centre hospital exterior with clear sky, related to meningitis and misdiagnosed stomach bug case.

The parents of 15-year-old Zara Cheesman stated that medical staff missed two crucial opportunities to save their daughter’s life

Image credits: NHS East Midlands Congenital Heart Network

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the survival rate for bacterial meningitis is about 90%.

The inquest was told that Zara first developed symptoms on the evening of December 19 and vomited throughout the night before collapsing in the hallway and hitting her head at around 1am, as per The Independent.

Her mother, Judith Cheesman, phoned the NHS (National Health Service) when Zara complained of neck and shoulder pain, and doctors advised her to take Zara to A&E.

At Queen’s Medical Centre, a trainee nurse practitioner suggested that the 15-year-old could have meningitis but believed her symptoms were more likely indicative of a simple stomach bug, the inquest heard.

Teenage girl smiling and posing outside on stone steps, representing meningitis awareness and misdiagnosis risks.

Image credits: UK News Online

Zara was examined by another medical expert, paediatric emergency medicine registrar Dr. Derek Huffadine. The doctor told the inquest that he also suspected meningitis but decided not to do blood tests on Zara, as he considered her condition not to be serious.

Dr. Huffadine said, “(It was) a short illness which the predominant feature was vomiting which seemed to be getting better. She was very eloquent… she looked well but tired.”

The doctor stated that “it was difficult to say” that the teenager had meningitis at the time because the inflammation was “in early form in terms of the presentation.”

Zara was sent home from the hospital after health professionals determined that her symptoms indicated a stomach bug rather than bacterial meningitis

Emergency ambulance speeding on street, related to meningitis misdiagnosis involving a 15-year-old girl.

Image credits: Ian Taylor/Unplash

Dr. Huffadine added, “From examining Zara, and listening to Zara, I did not feel that blood tests would help at this point.

“I honestly did not think Zara had meningitis. I’m more careful about giving general guidance if you don’t think your child is well or something has changed, come back.”

To learn more about meningitis and its symptoms, Bored Panda consulted Dr. Hector Bonilla, Associate Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Stanford Medicine.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the area surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meninges).

Historic stone building on a city street with people walking, related to meningitis misdiagnosis involving a girl, 15 years old.

Image credits: Andrew Abbott/Geograph

It can be caused by viruses and bacteria, as in Zara’s case, or by non-infectious conditions, like cancer or head injuries.

Dr. Bonilla explained that symptoms depend on whether the inflammation is acute (developing suddenly, usually within hours to a few days, and progressing rapidly) or chronic (developing gradually and persisting for at least four weeks without relief).

Acute meningitis is most often caused by bacteria, with symptoms including fever, headaches, stiff neck, papilledema (swelling of the optic nerve), vomiting, and changes in mental state, like drowsiness or a coma.

The teenager displayed “red flags” of meningitis that experts overlooked, the Nottingham Coroner’s Court heard

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Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash

Chronic meningitis—caused by tuberculosis, fungal infections, or cancer—can produce symptoms such as mental status changes, coma, and fever,as well as visual disturbances, facial paralysis, and weight loss, Dr. Bonilla said.

There are also physical tests that doctors use to check for meningitis, such as having a patient lie on their back, lift their head, and flex their neck forward to see if their hips and knees bend up automatically.

Asked why the doctors may have mistaken meningitis for a stomach bug, Dr. Bonilla explained that “some viruses that cause viral gastroenteritis, like enterovirus infection, can cause ‘meningitis’ symptoms and encephalitis.”

Regarding the treatment, he explained, “Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics, and some viruses can be treated with antivirals. However, the majority of viral meningitis cases do not have a specific treatment, and management is primarily clinical support.”

Medical professional analyzing brain scans on a computer, relating to meningitis diagnosis and misdiagnosis in a young girl.

Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash

The time it takes for meningitis to become fatal if left untreated depends “on the type of meningitis and the host,” the dteenaoctor said, emphasizing that antibiotics should be administered “the earlier, the better.”

In a statement read to the court, Zara’s parents said, “’We are frustrated to hear that he did not think a blood test was a logical test to do. The nurse practitioner suspected meningitis.

“Antibiotics should have been given as soon as possible. We are devastated and upset that meningitis was ruled out without the correct tests.”

A doctor said Zara’s symptoms “seemed to be getting better” and that she looked tired but “well”

Medical professional wearing gloves preparing to draw blood from a patient's arm in a clinical setting related to meningitis care.

Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash

The inquest heard that East Midlands Ambulance Service technicians attended the family home the day after Zara was discharged from the hospital and woke up “confused.”

Zara’s parents said technicians “did not properly examine her or listen to what we were saying.” They also claimed one technician “discouraged” them from taking their daughter back to hospital.

The 15-year-old’s father, Mark Cheesman, reportedly asked one technician if there was any possibility that Zara had meningitis, but they said no.

Hand holding two blue pills with a medicine bottle pouring more, symbolizing treatment for meningitis risk in a young girl.

Image credits: Ivana Cajina/Unsplash

“We did not think we were being taken seriously,” the parents stated. “There were also red flags of being confused and delirious. Zara should have been immediately conveyed to A&E.”

The next morning, Zara was taken to hospital again after she fell off the sofa and became “limp.” She passed away on December 23 at 2.25pm.

Her parents said they were “let down” by the National Health Service staff “from two different trusts who should be experts” and that “the two chances to save her had been missed.”

They also emphasized that the tragedy could have been prevented if not for the misdiagnosis.

Bacterial meningitis can be treated with antibiotics, with survival rates around 90% if addressed early

Female doctor consulting a teenage girl in hospital bed, highlighting risks of meningitis misdiagnosis in young patients.

Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash

“Zara di*d of meningitis which is easily treatable,” the parents said. “We understand, in the past, antibiotics would have been given at the first thought of meningitis. Our trust was completely misplaced.”

Judith Cheesman described her daughter as an A* student who was a “force of nature.” 

Zara wanted to study law at university and become a human rights lawyer, and Judtih said she had “no doubt she would have achieved her hopes and dreams and purpose.”

The mother said the teenager was “incredibly kind, empathetic, intelligent, funny, often stubborn and highly opinionated, having always cared deeply for those close to her.”

“Doctors’ first priority is to get rid of the patients as quickly as possible,” one person wrote as others criticized the doctors who examined Zara

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