Queensland coroner links boy’s death to severe vitamin C deficiency

Connor Dean, a six-year-old boy from Brisbane, died from complications most likely associated with severe vitamin C deficiency, according to findings by Queensland Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher. Connor was admitted to Queensland Children’s Hospital on 18 July 2024 after developing knee pain and a limp. Initial X-rays and MRI scans did not identify a clear cause. During the admission, he developed a serious cough, tested positive for parainfluenza, and experienced worsening oxygen levels and kidney function. He later suffered a cardiac arrest after being given a general anaesthetic and died on 10 August 2024. The coroner found that the precise reason for the cardiac arrest could not be established, but treating doctors and a forensic pathologist considered vitamin C deficiency the most likely underlying factor behind the brain damage that led to his death. Postmortem skeletal scans showed bone changes consistent with scurvy, a disease caused by prolonged vitamin C deficiency. Blood testing found Connor’s vitamin C level was below 1 micromole per litre, compared with a stated normal range of 20 to 120. He also had low levels of vitamins A and E, borderline low vitamin D, and blood-clotting problems suggesting vitamin K deficiency. According to evidence given by Connor’s paediatrician, doctors and dieticians had been concerned for years about his growth and limited food intake. He had become highly selective with food and reportedly ate no fruit or vegetables. He gained only 300 grams over the preceding 11 months, and his height and weight were well below the usual range, including when compared with children who had Down syndrome. Connor had Down syndrome, delayed development, and a serious heart defect that had been repaired in 2018. He had been prescribed multivitamins, but doctors discovered during his final admission that the product used by his family did not contain vitamin C. The product’s manufacturer expressed condolences but rejected the suggestion that its multivitamin contributed to Connor’s death. The coroner also found there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the product caused or contributed to his death. Instead, her findings focused on the failure to identify his severe vitamin C deficiency in time.