Highlights
- Aarav Chopra, three, died when his artery was pierced during a routine biopsy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
- The coroner found neglect contributed to his preventable death and called for better hospital procedures.
- The hospital trust has admitted full liability and apologised to the family
Family speaks out
Aarav’s parents, Amrita and Kishore Chopra told BBC , We never expected that he would never come home.
They also described their son as a “courageous little boy” and “a happy soul with the most beautiful smile,” adding: Knowing that Aarav's death was preventable had appropriate action been taken makes the situation even harder to accept.
The family said they were never told a trainee doctor would carry out the biopsy. Dr Satish Rao, chief medical officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust, told BBC “We offer our sincere condolences to Aarav’s family.
The standard of care did not meet expectations, and we are truly sorry. He added that after the inquest and their 2024 review, the hospital made changes to its processes to improve patient care.
The family’s solicitor, Catherine Lee of Irwin Mitchell, said the inquest had identified ‘extremely worrying issues’ and added that a separate civil case was still ongoing.
The tragedy highlights the importance of hospital transparency, trainee supervision, and strong protocols to prevent avoidable deaths in the future.
