A Connecticut family is suing after their 1-year-old son died less than a day after being discharged from a hospital emergency room, according to a legal complaint filed by his parents.
The boy, identified as Liam Hallissey, was brought to the hospital in December 2025 on his pediatrician’s orders after running a 102-degree fever and showing signs that included lethargy, low muscle tone, and a drooping appearance, the lawsuit states. He had also tested positive for Influenza A.
According to the complaint, when Liam’s vitals were first checked, his temperature had dropped slightly but his heart rate was elevated at 169 beats per minute. A physician assistant examined him roughly an hour later and noted he appeared “well” with no signs pointing to a bacterial infection or sepsis, the lawsuit alleges.
The family’s attorneys claim the toddler was discharged just 21 minutes after that evaluation, and that staff failed to order follow-up vitals, bloodwork, imaging, or any extended observation before sending him home.
The next morning, Liam’s mother discovered him unresponsive in his crib — not breathing and turning blue, the lawsuit says. She began CPR immediately and called 911.
Paramedics arrived to find the child cold and without a pulse. Despite attempts at defibrillation, chest compressions, and rescue breathing, he was rushed to a second hospital, where doctors continued resuscitation efforts including intubation and multiple doses of epinephrine.
Liam was pronounced dead within 20 minutes of arriving at the emergency room.
The lawsuit accuses the medical team of overlooking symptoms consistent with sepsis and rushing through the boy’s evaluation despite warnings from his own pediatrician. The family is now seeking accountability for what they describe as a preventable death.
The case remains in the early stages of litigation.
