Josie King

As told by Josie's mother, Sorrel King

Josie King was admitted to the hospital after suffering severe

burns from climbing into a hot bath. She had healed, and was
set to return home two weeks later. Josie died days before she
was to be released. She had an undetected central line
infection and severe dehydration.

After she left the PICU, Josie’s central line was removed. Every
time she saw a drink, she screamed for it. She was sucking
feverishly at her washcloth. Josie’s mother asked the nurses about this and was
assured it was normal, although it was not something Josie had ever done.

Sorrel King had been with her 18-month-old daughter every minute from the day she
entered the hospital. The nurses assured her Josie was doing well, and suggested it
was time for Mrs. King to sleep at home.

Arriving back at the hospital at 5 a.m., Josie’s mother knew something was drastically
wrong. The medical team was called. They administered Narcan, and Josie’s mom
asked if she could give her daughter something to drink. Josie gulped down a litter of
juice. Verbal orders were given: no more narcotics. Josie began to seem a little better.

At one o’clock, the nurse entered with a syringe of methadone. Sorrel told her there
was an order for no narcotics. The nurse responded that the order had been changed,
and gave Josie the injection. Soon after, Josie’s heart stopped. Her mother was
ushered out of the room.

The next time Sorrel saw Josie, it was back on the PICU floor. Her child was hooked
up to many monitors and looked awful. Eighteen-month-old Josie King died in her
mother’s arms two days later. She had a hospital-acquired infection, was severely
dehydrated, and had been given inappropriate narcotics.

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