The 'frostbitten heart' case: Domenico, the two-year-old boy who received a new heart in December, has died. Six doctors are under investigation
Flowers and candles for little Domenico, at the entrance of the Monaldi hospital in Naples. Credit line: IPA, Independent Photo Agency Srl / Alamy / Profimedia
Domenico, a two-year-old from Italy, died on Saturday in a hospital in Naples, two months after a transplant with a heart damaged by dry ice. Six doctors are being investigated for manslaughter after it was discovered the organ had suffered serious damage during transport, according to the BBC.
After the operation in December, Domenico was admitted to reanimation at the Monaldi hospital in Naples, being kept alive only with the help of machines. The family's lawyer, Francesco Petruzzi, announced that the little boy died on Saturday shortly before 09:30 local time.
Hospital representatives said the child's death occurred following a “sudden and irreversible worsening of his clinical condition.”
Domenico's transplanted heart at the end of December is said to have suffered severe damage during the more than 800km transport after being placed in direct contact with dry ice without a monitoring thermometer.
Prosecutors have opened a formal investigation into the case, targeting six doctors for manslaughter. With the child's death, the prosecutor's office in Naples changed the classification of the act from “serious bodily injury” to manslaughter, after it was determined that the heart was compromised during transport.
The incident sparked outrage in Italy after the family's lawyer described the organ as “frostbitten” because it had been transported in an improper container. He said the family wanted to review all relevant medical records: “If the time of hope is over, then the time of responsibility has begun.”
Patrizia Mercolino, the boy's mother, confirmed the death on Saturday: “It's over. Domenico is dead.” The family announced the establishment of a foundation in his name, which will support victims of medical malpractice and negligence.
On Wednesday, a panel of pediatric specialists concluded that Domenico's condition was “incompatible” with another transplant. Doctors warned that prolonged use of the life support system could have damaged his internal organs.
Meloni promises to clarify the “terrible incident”
The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, reacted publicly, on X, after the announcement of the death: “The whole of Italy mourns the loss of little Domenico, a fighter who will never be forgotten.”
“On behalf of myself and the government, I send my sincere condolences and deep sympathy to his mother Patrizia, his father Antonio and all his loved ones. I am convinced that the competent authorities will shed light on this terrible incident,” Meloni said.
The Prime Minister's request to shed light on this case was also supported by the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci. “We absolutely have to clarify what happened. We owe it to the child, to the family, but also to all Italians,” he said earlier this week.
The minister also said that Italy has “an excellent national health service that has been able to manage and solve almost always complex situations” and “citizens should not lose confidence”.
