A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the University of Florida Health Shands in Gainesville, following the tragic death of two-year-old De’Markus Page. According to the legal complaint, a critical medication dosing error contributed to the child’s demise just days after he was admitted to the hospital.
De’Markus was initially taken to AdventHealth Ocala Hospital in March 2024 after experiencing symptoms that included persistent crying, diarrhea, and an inability to eat. Medical professionals diagnosed him with a rhinovirus/enterovirus, commonly known as a cold, along with hypokalemia, a condition characterized by dangerously low potassium levels that can lead to severe muscle weakness and, in extreme cases, life-threatening heart complications.
Due to the seriousness of his condition, De’Markus was transferred to UF Health Shands for advanced care. Upon arrival, staff reportedly observed unstable electrolyte levels, specifically potassium that had plummeted to critical lows. The lawsuit claims that the medical team failed to recognize the gravity of his situation and neglected essential monitoring protocols.
As part of his treatment, De’Markus was supposed to receive a potassium supplement dosage of 1.5 millimoles (mmol) twice daily. However, on the second day of his hospitalization, a doctor allegedly entered an incorrect medication order, which increased the dosage to 15 mmol—ten times the prescribed amount. This significant overdose, according to the complaint, set off a catastrophic series of events.
Excessive potassium can disrupt the heart’s electrical signals, potentially leading to cardiac arrest. The legal complaint asserts that De’Markus suffered a hyperkalemic cardiac arrest due to the overdose. During resuscitation efforts, medical personnel reportedly struggled for over 20 minutes to successfully intubate him, which deprived his brain of oxygen and resulted in irreversible harm.
As stated in the lawsuit, the hospital pharmacy’s system issued a ‘Red Flag’ warning regarding the excessive dosage but allegedly failed to prevent the administration of the overdose. De’Markus received two doses of the incorrect medication on the same day, pushing his potassium levels to fatal heights. He suffered cardiac arrest at approximately 21:00.
Despite emergency interventions, medical staff could not revive De’Markus without inflicting catastrophic brain damage. After two weeks on life support with no signs of recovery, his family made the difficult decision to withdraw support, and he was pronounced dead on March 18, 2024. The official cause of death was attributed to hyperkalemic cardiac arrest and subsequent anoxic brain injury.
Dominique Page, De’Markus’s mother, expressed her profound grief, stating, “It’s been extremely difficult since the passing of my son because to this day, I still have not known what happened. I was never told.” The family is now seeking damages exceeding $50,000 to cover medical expenses, funeral costs, and other losses resulting from this tragedy.
In light of these events, UF Health Shands has not responded to requests for comment and has stated it does not comment on ongoing litigation. The legal complaint highlights the serious implications of medication errors in pediatric care and raises concerns about the protocols in place at healthcare facilities.
