Aarav Chopra, a three-year-old boy from Wolverhampton, tragically died after a routine liver biopsy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital went horribly wrong. During the procedure performed by a trainee doctor, an artery was accidentally pierced, leading to a fatal cardiac arrest.
The inquest revealed that Aarav suffered serious brain damage caused by a build-up of blood in his chest cavity, which went unrecognized and untreated. Despite nearly 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts, Aarav passed away in what senior coroner Louise Hunt described as a death “contributed to by neglect.”
His parents, Kishore and Amrita Chopra, fought tirelessly for answers and accountability. After the inquest, they enlisted specialist medical negligence lawyers from Irwin Mitchell, who helped secure an undisclosed settlement. The Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, which operates the hospital, admitted liability in a separate legal claim, acknowledging failures in managing Aarav’s condition once the bleeding was identified.
READ MORE: Walsall Council Exposed for Underpaying Staff by Over £20,000
READ MORE: A Family’s Struggle With a Mould-Infested, Unsafe Home and Neglect
In a heartfelt letter to the family, Trust leaders expressed deep sorrow for the failings that contributed to Aarav’s death and fully accepted the coroner’s findings. They pledged to implement necessary changes to improve care and honor Aarav’s legacy.
Aarav had undergone a liver transplant in August 2023 but experienced organ rejection. On November 21, 2023, he had a biopsy at the hospital, after which scans revealed blood in his chest cavity. This was unfortunately overlooked as significant, and the critical bleeding was not flagged to other staff. Aarav suffered cardiac arrest around an hour later and underwent emergency surgery, but he died the following day.
Initially, the hospital reported no issues with care delivery. However, after persistent requests from the Chopras, an independent clinical review by King’s College Hospital doctors identified 34 care shortfalls and made 32 recommendations to address substandard practices.
Kishore Chopra expressed profound grief and frustration over the hospital’s initial denial of responsibility. He credited the independent review and inquest with finally bringing clarity and some measure of justice. While the loss remains devastating, the family hopes their ordeal will lead to better care for other children.
At the January inquest, the coroner issued a prevention of future deaths report, urging the Trust to outline steps to prevent similar tragedies. Amrita Chopra highlighted the ongoing pain of losing Aarav and called on hospital trusts to better support grieving families and listen to their concerns to prevent further heartbreak.
Dr. Satish Rao, Chief Medical Officer of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust, offered sincere condolences and acknowledged that the care provided did not meet standards. He confirmed the Trust has admitted full liability and is committed to sustaining improvements made in Aarav’s memory.