A coroner has ruled that the death of a 33-year-old mother from south London was contributed to by medical neglect after she was prescribed the wrong antibiotics while suffering from a serious infection.
Aleisha Rochester, a bank cashier from Croydon, London, died in August 2023 after developing Sepsis following a routine surgical procedure. A coroner concluded that she likely would have survived had the correct antibiotics been administered sooner.
Routine Procedure Followed by Infection
Rochester initially underwent a routine day procedure on Aug. 5, 2023, at St Thomas’ Hospital to remove abscesses linked to Hidradenitis Suppurativa, a condition that causes recurring painful skin abscesses.
According to the coroner’s findings, her surgical wound later became infected and she sought medical attention several times as her condition worsened.
On Aug. 15, doctors prescribed antibiotics at St Helier Hospital, but the drugs were not consistent with the hospital’s antimicrobial guidelines and were ineffective against the bacteria believed to be causing the infection.
The coroner noted that medical staff did not consult the hospital’s microbiology team before prescribing the medication.
Rapid Deterioration
Rochester’s condition deteriorated rapidly. By Aug. 17, she had developed septic shock and was admitted to intensive care.
Despite aggressive treatment — including stronger antibiotics, ventilation and intensive medical support — she suffered multiple organ failure.
She died after suffering cardiac arrest in the early hours of Aug. 19, two weeks after her original procedure.
Assistant coroner Sian Reeves concluded that Rochester’s death was “contributed to by neglect,” stating that if the appropriate antibiotics had been prescribed earlier, she would most likely have survived.
Family Seeks Accountability
Rochester leaves behind her young son, Xavier, who was eight years old at the time of the inquest.
Her mother, Lorna Rochester, described her daughter as loving, ambitious and devoted to her child.
“Aleisha was the most loving, caring and compassionate daughter you could wish for,” she said in a statement.
She added that her daughter had dreams of starting her own business and that the bond between mother and son was unmistakable.
“There’s still not a day goes by when we don’t think of Aleisha or miss her,” she said. “There’s a huge void in our family.”
The family has launched legal action against the hospital trust involved in her care.
Hospital Apologizes and Announces Changes
Officials from St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged failures in Rochester’s treatment.
Dr. Richard Jennings, the trust’s group chief medical officer, said the organization deeply regrets what happened.
“We know we failed Ms. Rochester by not giving her the correct antibiotics, with tragic consequences,” Jennings said. “For this we are extremely sorry and offer our deepest condolences to her family.”
The trust said it has since introduced additional staff training to improve early recognition of sepsis and ensure that antibiotic prescribing follows proper clinical guidelines.
Raising Awareness of Sepsis
Rochester’s family says they hope speaking out will help prevent similar tragedies and highlight the importance of recognizing and treating sepsis quickly.
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to infection triggers widespread inflammation that can lead to organ failure and death if not treated rapidly with appropriate antibiotics.
Health authorities stress that early diagnosis and proper treatment are critical to survival.
