By Martin Evans
A young mother, who suffered a minor injury during a sex game, died from a rare flesh-eating disease when medics failed to spot the condition, an inquest has heard.
Care assistant, Katie Widdowson, 24, told doctors she had hurt her wrist after agreeing to be restrained by her boyfriend in the bedroom.
She was diagnosed with a simple strain and sent home, but had to be rushed back into hospital the following day when her condition worsened.
The mother of one, from Castle Vale in Birmingham, was actually suffering from the flesh eating bug, Necrotising Fasciitis and died from a bacterial infection shortly afterwards.
Katie's partner, chef Dean Smith, told the inquest that the couple had been together for five and half years and that she had a young child.
On New Year's Day this year, Miss Widdowson went to work, but later sent him a photograph of her wrist, saying she was in a lot of pain and could not move it.
She went to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield but was told she had suffered a sprain and was sent home with painkillers.
The following morning she was still in pain and had developed blisters. She was rushed to Heartlands Hospital but suffered a heart-attack in the ambulance.
Mr Smith told the inquest that his girlfriend had initially thought she had hurt her wrist when she was restrained during sex.
He said: "I do not remember much about it. It's not anything we have ever done before."
Assistant coroner Emma Brown explained that Miss Widdowson had attended Good Hope's A&E department just before midnight, complaining to a nurse that she was suffering extreme pain in her left wrist.
She explained she was unable to feel her fingers, and the pain was spreading up her arm.
The coroner said her temperature, heart and pulse rate were all abnormal and therefore she ought to have been observed every 30 minutes.
But despite seeing two doctors and having an x-ray, she was told she had a sprained wrist, and was discharged.
The coroner told the hearing that Miss Widdowson should have been kept in hospital and undergone major surgery.
As a result, there were "clear failures" on the part of both doctors, she said.
"They flagrantly ignored the policy that was there for the very situation Katie found herself in," said Ms Brown.
"Her early warning score was six and should have resulted in regular and ongoing observations and further investigations. These were not carried out. If Katie had remained in hospital, it is clear that her death would have been avoidable.
"These mistakes amounted to a gross failure to provide basic medical attention.
"Katie's death was due to Necrotising Fasciitis contributed to by neglect."
The coroner said there could be other explanations for the initial injury she had suffered but the most probable one was when she was restrained.
After the hearing Miss Widdowson's mother, Pat, paid tribute to her beautiful daughter and said she had been devoted to helping others.
Her partner, David, said the family intended to take legal action against the Trust over the negligence.
What is Necrotising fasciitis
Necrotising fasciitis is most commonly caused by an infection with group A Streptococcus.
Those infections normally last just a few days - they are mild and typically clear themselves up.
But in some unusual cases it can develop into necrotising fasciitis.
They infect flat layers of a membrane known as the fascia, which are connective bands of tissue that surround muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels.
The infection also damages the tissues next to the fascia.
Sometimes toxins made by these bacteria destroy the tissue they infect, causing it to die.
When this happens, the infection is very serious and can result in loss of limbs or death.