**Devastating Loss: Six-Year-Old Girl Dies Following Rare Complications After Appendix Surgery**
A family from Essex is mourning the heart-breaking loss of their six-year-old daughter, Ruby Trussler, who died in October 2024 following complications that arose months after she underwent what was initially deemed a routine procedure to remove her appendix. The tragedy has since highlighted both the risks associated with common surgeries and the importance of raising awareness about rare but severe post-operative complications.
Ruby, described by her mother Emma as lively and full of joy, initially recovered well from her appendectomy at Princess Alexandra Hospital in March 2024. For several months after the operation, she appeared healthy and enjoyed all the activities typical of a child her age. However, in early October, Ruby began experiencing stomach pains and vomiting, which her parents and doctors initially attributed to a seasonal virus.
The situation took a critical turn when Ruby’s condition swiftly deteriorated over the course of a weekend. Suffering from fatigue and prolonged sleep, she was rushed to the Accident & Emergency department after it became clear her symptoms were more severe than first thought. There, attending physicians discovered that Ruby was severely dehydrated and found signs of ‘green vomit’, a symptom that can indicate a bowel obstruction.
Further investigation revealed that Ruby was suffering from an abdominal adhesion, an uncommon but well-documented complication following abdominal surgery. This occurs when bands of scar tissue form inside the abdomen, sometimes causing organs or tissues to become stuck together, leading to blockages. Such complications are acknowledged within NHS guidance as a potential risk after procedures like appendicectomies.
Despite swift intervention to clear the obstruction at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, the young girl’s condition did not improve. Ruby sadly never regained consciousness, and further tests revealed she had developed sepsis—a life-threatening response to infection—as well as a blocked artery in her leg. The blocked blood flow forced surgeons to amputate her leg, but even this drastic measure was not enough to stabilise her condition.
Emma and her husband were soon faced with a decision no parent should ever have to make. As Ruby’s health declined further, with her vital signs becoming increasingly unstable, doctors concluded that all possible treatments had been exhausted. On 11 October, the family made the agonising choice to turn off Ruby’s life support. Her official cause of death was listed as multiple organ failure brought on by sepsis.
Speaking about their ordeal, Emma recounted the wrenching moments of saying goodbye, describing Ruby as “the perfect daughter” and noting her energy, kindness, and love for music and dance. Despite the family’s intense grief, Emma is determined to increase public understanding of post-surgical complications and the dangers posed by sepsis, particularly in children.
Ruby is survived by three older half-sisters and her four-year-old twin brothers, who continue to remember and celebrate her life through daily conversations and drawings. The local community and Ruby’s classmates at William Martin Primary School have also rallied behind the family, providing support and expressing condolences in the wake of her passing.
To honour her daughter’s memory, a close friend set up a GoFundMe appeal so that the family could make a memory-keeping journey to Disneyland Paris, fulfilling Ruby’s wish. Emma and her family plan to visit in November, on what would have been Ruby’s birthday, turning a moment of heartbreak into an occasion to remember her joy.
Determined that some good should come from her daughter’s tragic death, Emma has thrown herself into fundraising efforts for Sepsis UK, raising tens of thousands of pounds and planning to take on the arduous Three Peaks Challenge this spring to further raise awareness about the signs and dangers of sepsis.
An inquest into the circumstances surrounding Ruby’s death is scheduled for mid-May. Meanwhile, the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust has extended its condolences, confirming that a full internal investigation was carried out and that learnings from this and any incident would be used to guide continual improvement in patient safety.
Ruby’s legacy, her mother hopes, will be not only the enduring love of her family but also a heightened awareness of medical complications in children, potentially saving other young lives from similar fates.