'My husband was told he had tonsillitis - 24 hours later he was dead aged 29'

A dad-of-one tragically died just 24 hours after a GP refused to send him to A&E, insisting he merely had tonsillitis. Michael Reynolds, 29, was given antibiotics and advised to rest after visiting his doctor with complaints of a painful and swollen throat.

The GP discharged him with a steroid nasal spray, but when his condition deteriorated, he consulted a different physician. Despite queries about whether he required A&E treatment, the medic dismissed the worries and maintained his tonsillitis diagnosis.

Soon after collecting his medication from the chemist the following day, Michael suddenly collapsed. The lorry driver, who had recently welcomed his son Jacob just months before, was rushed to hospital where he passed away shortly afterwards.

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A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered cardiac arrest caused by oxygen deprivation when his throat became obstructed. An inquest into his death in December 2023 concluded there had been a missed chance to refer him to A&E for emergency care. His heartbroken family has enlisted medical negligence lawyers Irwin Mitchell to examine his treatment.

Michael's bereaved widow Charlotte, 31, said: "Watching Jacob grow up without his daddy by his side is devastating and we miss Michael every single day. Michael meant everything to us and losing him has left a huge hole in our lives that will never go away. We'd do anything to bring him back.

"The inquest and reliving everything again has been particularly upsetting, but at least I now have some answers as to why Michael's no longer with us and I will be able to explain this to Jacob when he is old enough to understand.

"All I can hope for now is that by sharing our story, it can lead to improvements in care for others and more awareness around the signs of epiglottitis and the need for emergency treatment, as it's something I'd never even heard of before. I wouldn't want anyone going through what we have."

Michael, from Boston, Lincolnshire, contacted a GP on November 29, 2023, reporting a persistent cough lasting approximately two to three months alongside a painful and inflamed throat. He was given a steroid nasal spray and booked in for a chest X-ray.

Yet his condition deteriorated and the next morning he was offered an urgent face-to-face consultation. He was examined by a different GP, explaining he couldn't consume food or liquid and felt his throat was constricting.

He had a severe temperature and was expectorating into a container as he couldn't swallow his own saliva. He was told he had tonsillitis and given oral antibiotics.

An inquest at Lincolnshire Coroner's Court was told the GP failed to give him "robust" guidance to visit A&E. Michael and his Charlotte travelled to the chemist to collect his prescribed medicine, before returning home. Later that morning, he suffered a seizure and collapsed.

His partner Charlotte dialled for an ambulance and Michael was rushed to hospital, but tragically passed away the following morning on December 1. The coroner concluded that Michael's cause of death was a hypoxic cardiac arrest due to an upper airway obstruction and epiglottitis – a swelling of the flap that covers the windpipe when swallowing. The coroner noted a "missed opportunity", stating that if Michael had been taken to A&E sooner, he might have been moved to resuscitation earlier. It was also acknowledged that the staff there would likely be more familiar with symptoms of epiglottitis.

Rosie Charlton, the family's lawyer, said: "This is a truly tragic case where a young dad has lost his life. Charlotte and the rest of Michael's family are understandably struggling to come to terms with losing him so suddenly and unexpectedly, and under such circumstances.

"They've also had a number of concerns about the events that unfolded in the lead-up to Michael's death. Worryingly, the inquest has validated those concerns.

"While we're pleased to have been able to secure the answers that Michael's family deserve, it's now vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety and help prevent others from suffering in the way Michael did."

The NHS trust has been approached for a comment.