Andorra Police Probe Girl's Death After Hospital Missed Pneumonia 4 Times

Police in Andorra are investigating the death of a 15-month-old girl from pneumonia, summoning the medical team involved after she was seen four times at the hospital's emergency department over three days without detecting the serious condition.

The child died on 29 November—or possibly 1 December, as some reports indicate—while being rushed to hospital in an ambulance following cardiorespiratory arrest. An autopsy later confirmed pneumonia as the cause, which doctors had previously assessed as a common cold or mild respiratory virus during three earlier visits. On the Thursday before her death, her parents brought her in due to initial symptoms. The next day, Friday, they returned once, and on Saturday—the day she died—they came back again before the fatal crisis. Each time, she was prescribed medication and sent home.

The parents filed a police complaint the following day, alleging medical negligence given the repeated visits and failure to identify a severe illness. Acting as judicial police under orders from the Batllia, officers from the group's persons unit opened preliminary inquiries two weeks ago to compile a report on potential responsibilities. They are interviewing doctors, nurses, an anaesthetist, and other staff as witnesses across the four encounters, from initial checks to the unsuccessful resuscitation.

The Batllia initiated these pre-trial proceedings at the request of prosecutors following the complaint, aiming to clarify facts before any charges. No individuals have been implicated yet, and the family has not filed a criminal lawsuit but has joined the case as civil claimants to seek damages if warranted. The SAAS, Andorra's health service, has also launched an internal probe into protocol adherence and possible errors, though no findings have emerged.

Investigators seek to reconcile differing accounts in this case, which has drawn widespread attention. The parents maintain a timely diagnosis could have prevented the tragedy. No updates on progress have been disclosed.