A six-year-old Queensland boy died from a heart attack caused by severe scurvy, leaving medical professionals baffled by a case of a disease that has remained virtually unseen for two centuries, according to findings released by a state coroner.
A Fatal Diagnosis at Queensland Children’s Hospital
Connor Dean died on August 10, 2024, at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, deputy state coroner Stephanie Gallagher determined. The coroner found that Connor suffered a fatal heart attack associated with a profound vitamin C deficiency consistent with scurvy, a condition historically prevalent among sailors during long voyages in the 19th century due to limited access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods.
On July 11, 2024, his family brought him to a doctor after he began experiencing knee pain, a shuffling gait, and a limp that initial assessments suggested might have stemmed from a playground fall.
Scrambling for Answers as Health Deteriorated
When his condition failed to improve, Connor was admitted to the Queensland Children’s Hospital for X-rays and an MRI scan. Those diagnostic imaging tests revealed no obvious abnormalities, though he was diagnosed with para-influenza. His mother informed medical staff that his vaccinations were current and that he was taking a multivitamin. As his health gradually deteriorated, requiring resuscitation at one point, doctors considered whether he might be suffering from leukemia, a cancer of the blood. That possibility was quickly ruled out, prompting medical staff to broaden their search for the underlying cause of his decline.
Multi-Organ Failure and a Rare Modern Case
By late July, Connor developed a persistent rash, showed signs of brain damage resulting from reduced blood flow to the head, and exhibited symptoms of renal disease, multi-organ failure, and sepsis. Severe, life-threatening vitamin C deficiency ultimately emerged as the diagnosis uniting his symptoms, which also accounted for his earlier heart attack. He died in early August after invasive medical treatments were discontinued.
Prof. Gallagher noted in her findings that publishing the details of the case might draw sufficient attention to prevent similar deaths in the future. While vitamin C deficiencies still occur in Australia among individuals with restricted diets, babies, alcoholics, or those with diabetes, the condition rarely progresses to clinical scurvy due to the year-round availability of fresh produce and supplements. Developing life-threatening scurvy typically requires months without fresh fruits, vegetables, or vitamin C.
Dietary Restrictions and Pediatric Warnings
Connor’s pediatrician told the coroner of long-standing concerns regarding the boy’s growth and height, noting he was partially fed via a gastric tube until February 2020. Although his mother maintained he ate a wide variety of fresh foods until June 2022, the pediatrician observed that by May of the following year, Connor had become a very fussy eater who consumed essentially no fruits or vegetables, gaining only 300 grams over an 11-month period. The physician stated he warned the mother about the lack of calories, vitamins, and minerals in Connor’s diet and recommended a specific gummy multivitamin supplement, though subsequent testing showed mixed levels of vitamins in his system.
