A three-year-old girl died just a week after undergoing a routine operation.
Little Aliyah Yugovich was admitted to St John of God Murdoch Hospital in south Perth on June 28 for a routine tonsillectomy and was discharged from hospital the following day.
Hours later on Sunday night, Aliyah was rushed to the Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) emergency department after the little girl developed a fever and flu-like symptoms, where she and her mother Jess waited four hours to see a doctor.
Aliyah was diagnosed with influenza A and discharged three days later, on July 3.
Early the next morning, Aliyah’s condition worsened after she began coughing and vomiting blood.
Paramedics were called to the home and performed CPR for an extended period before Aliyah was returned to PCH and placed in a coma on life support.
On Saturday night, brain scans and an EEG revealed that Aliyah had no brain activity.
The next morning, Aliyah passed away after being taken off life support.
Aliyah Yugovich (pictured) died on Sunday morning after being taken off life support.
An online fundraiser was created to help Aliyah’s devastated parents, Jessica, a small business owner, and Josh, a contractor, “as they live every parent’s worst nightmare.”
The couple has no personal leave days and are raising their one-year-old son Elijah.
“We can’t change what happened or ease your pain, but we want to help in any way we can during this devastating time,” organizer Tessa Pritchard wrote.
The online fundraiser raised more than $62,000 in a matter of hours.
Aliyah’s mother posted a touching tribute to her daughter on social media on Sunday.
“After a brief but brave fight, our little girl earned her wings in the early hours of this morning,” Ms. Yugovich wrote.
“As we held her tight and the sun began to rise, she walked away to the other side of the rainbow.”
‘You were too perfect for this world Aliyah Mae, life will never be the same without you.’
Aliyah spent two seasons in Perth Children’s Hospital, where she lost her brave fight for life.
Ms. Yugovich said Western Australia that Aliyah was ‘unique’.
“She left a mark on every person she met,” he said.
‘Even if you only knew her for 30 seconds, you would never forget her.’
Ms Yugovich paid tribute to the PCH staff, adding that they did everything they could to save Aliyah.
But the family is raising questions about the care Aliyah received at both hospitals and wants answers to ensure other families don’t experience the same pain.
Acting chief executive of the Child and Adolescent Health Service, Simon Wood, said a full review of Aliyah’s presentation and care would be carried out.
“The death has been reported to the coroner, as is the usual process, and the cause of death will be determined following the post-mortem and coroner’s inquest,” he told the publication.
St. John of God Murdoch expressed his deepest condolences to the Yugovich family.