A lawsuit has been filed against UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, following the tragic death of a 2-year-old boy, De’Markus Page. The suit alleges that a medical error, specifically an overdose of potassium phosphate, led to the toddler’s death. The family’s legal team asserts that the hospital staff administered a dosage ten times higher than prescribed due to a missing decimal point in the boy’s medical chart.
The family’s attorney, Jordan Dulcie, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, emphasizing that no parent should have to endure such a devastating loss. The lawsuit, which was filed in response to De’Markus’ death in March 2024, accuses the hospital of “wrongful death medical negligence.”
Before being transferred to Shands, De’Markus was initially treated for a virus at AdventHealth Ocala hospital. The young boy, described as an “active toddler” with minor speech and developmental delays, was also suspected of having a degree of autism. His family contends that his selective eating habits made him more vulnerable to fluid and electrolyte imbalances if he contracted common childhood illnesses.
Upon his arrival at Shands, the hospital staff prescribed an oral potassium phosphate dosage of 1.5 millimoles twice a day. However, on the second day of his hospitalization, a doctor allegedly entered an incorrect order for the medication, increasing the dosage tenfold. This happened despite De’Markus’ potassium levels returning to normal that morning.
The lawsuit alleges that the doctor either failed to acknowledge or deliberately ignored De’Markus’ normal potassium level, resulting in an order for a dangerously high dosage of potassium phosphate. The toddler was already receiving potassium through two other methods, making the high dosage unnecessary and potentially harmful.
The family asserts that the original dosage was calculated based on De’Markus’ size, weight, and lab results from his first day at the hospital. They claim that the hospital staff failed to identify and correct the error, leading to complications.
The lawsuit further alleges that the lack of proper emergency equipment and blood monitoring of electrolytes on the pediatric floor resulted in De’Markus going into cardiac arrest due to high potassium levels. The hospital staff allegedly did not notice the situation for at least 20 minutes and struggled to intubate De’Markus properly.
Despite regaining circulation and cardiac activity, the damage to De’Markus’ brain and other vital organs was severe. He spent the next two weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit, dependent on a ventilator, before succumbing to his injuries. The family’s attorney has pledged to hold the hospital accountable and prevent such a tragedy from happening to another family. The hospital has not yet commented on the allegations.