Cassie, a lively five-year-old girl, died from a treatable bacterial infection after being repeatedly misdiagnosed by doctors who insisted she had a simple virus. It all started with mild symptoms — a sore throat and hoarse voice — but within days, Cassie lost her voice completely. Her parents, Jasmine and Justin, were worried and took her to the doctor, who told them it was just a seasonal virus and sent them home without running any tests.

As Cassie’s condition worsened and her breathing became strained, her parents rushed her to the emergency room. There, she tested negative for COVID-19 and RSV. Still, doctors believed it was just a virus and again discharged her without checking for bacterial infections. In reality, Cassie had group A Streptococcus (strep A) — a common but potentially deadly bacterial infection that often affects school-aged children and can be easily treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early. No throat swab or bacterial test was done until it was too late.

Days later, at home, Cassie collapsed in her mother’s arms. Her lips turned blue, and she lost consciousness. Her stepfather performed CPR until paramedics arrived and airlifted her to Westmead Children’s Hospital. Despite doctors’ efforts, Cassie suffered severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen. On August 28, 2023, she was declared brain dead.

Only at that point did doctors perform a throat swab, confirming she had strep A — a simple diagnosis that, if made earlier, could have saved her life with just a course of antibiotics.

Cassie’s parents chose to donate her organs, saving three other children. This happened on September 1st, which was also Jersey Day in Australia — a national campaign promoting organ donation.

Now, her parents are speaking out, urging other families to trust their instincts, ask for throat swabs, and push for proper testing if something doesn’t feel right. They hope Cassie’s story can prevent other children from facing the same fate.