Boy of 11 dies of asthma attack at school after teacher was 'too busy to call him an ambulance'



A boy of 11 who suffered an asthma attack at school was left dying in a corridor because a teacher was allegedly too busy to call an ambulance.

Doctors believe Sam Linton could have been saved if he had received treatment sooner.

Instead, he was left alone and gasping for breath because, it was claimed, his form tutor, Janet Ford, 46, refused to help him because she was in a meeting.

Sam Linton, who died after an asthma attack at school. His family said 'the fact that no one called an ambulance is astounding and very troubling for all parents'

The teacher - who has not been suspended - allegedly told two of Sam's concerned friends to 'go away'. He was taken to hospital when his mother picked him up from school, but died hours later.



Last night Sam's devastated parents, Karen and Paul Linton, launched a furious attack on staff at Offerton High School in Stockport after an inquest jury ruled their son was the victim of systemic failings and neglect.

Mrs Linton, a company managing director, said she and her husband, a double glazing engineer, would take legal action against Stockport council.

Angry: Sam's mother, Karen Linton

She said: 'I am angry, very angry. When I arrived (at school), Sam was worse than I have ever seen him before.

'As soon as I saw him, I knew it was serious. He had a grey tinge to his skin and his mouth was blue. I had never seen him like that before in all of the 100 or so attacks he'd had.



'The fact that no one called an ambulance during the hours that Sam was suffering from a prolonged asthma attack is truly astounding and very troubling for all parents.

'When you send your child to school you believe they will be looked after and cared for.'

The inquest heard that, despite suffering from asthma all his life, Sam was a keen footballer and had a black belt in tae kwon do.



On the day he died in December 2007, Sam was seen struggling for breath during the lunch hour. However, he appeared to recover, before suffering a full asthma attack in a lesson with Miss Ford at 2.15pm.

After the lesson, Miss Ford telephoned the school's student services department, who were responsible for first aid, and was told to send him to them when he got his breath back and his symptoms had calmed down.

She failed to do so, and went into a meeting. Sam was found at the end of the school day gasping for air on a bench by friend Paris Rafferty, who was so concerned she interrupted Miss Ford.

However, the court heard that Miss Ford told Paris to 'go away', adding: 'I know Sam is there and he will have to wait.'

Instead, Paris went to find Sam's older brother, Jacque, then 13.

Jacque told Miss Ford she needed to call an ambulance, but the teacher refused. Even though Sam could not walk unaided, she told Jacque to take him to the staff room and call his parents.



When Sam moved to Offerton High School in September 2007, Karen met with the school nurse and headmistress to discuss his condition

Mrs Linton took Sam to Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, at 5.20pm but he died two hours later in the presence of his parents.

Dr Charlotte Doughty, who treated Sam, told the hearing that he may have survived had an ambulance been called earlier.



Teacher Janet Ford, who left Sam in the corridor despite pleas from classmates for help

She said: 'The people I have seen die from asthma attacks are the people who have delayed their attendance to hospital.'



Giving evidence, Miss Ford denied the pupils' accounts of events but admitted being 'vague' on school policy, which said an ambulance should be called if a pupil's condition did not improve within 10 minutes.

'In hindsight, I would have done things differently,' she added.

Giving their verdict of neglect, the jury listed 12 separate failings on the part of the school, ten of which 'caused or significantly contributed to' Sam's death.

These included failing to put in place an adequate asthma policy or sufficiently training staff to help children with the illness.

The jury was asked to consider whether Sam had been unlawfully killed, but dismissed this verdict, which means it is unlikely anyone will face a criminal prosecution.

A Stockport Council spokesman confirmed no one had been suspended following Sam's death, but added: 'We are now considering the inquest verdict and the recommendations of the coroner.'

