At the time, Michael said he felt like his throat was closing, and he had to spit saliva into a bowl because he couldn’t swallow. He was later told he had tonsillitis — an inflammation of the tonsils — and was given antibiotics to take by mouth. The family’s law firm claims it was “not made clear” to Michael that he needed to go to the emergency room.
After leaving the doctor’s office, Michael and his wife, Charlotte, picked up his antibiotics from the pharmacy and went back to their home in Boston, Lincolnshire, in the U.K.
The next morning, Michael had a seizure. Charlotte quickly called an ambulance, and he was rushed to the hospital, but sadly, he died on Dec. 1, 2023.
According to Irwin Mitchell, the coroner discovered that Michael had epiglottitis — a swelling of the flap that covers the windpipe. The Cleveland Clinic explains that this condition is rare, often caused by a bacterial infection, and should never be treated at home. The Clinic stresses, “It’s essential to get to the emergency room (ER) immediately if you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of epiglottitis. Epiglottitis is a medical emergency.”
(From left:) Michael, Jacob, and Charlotte Reynolds.
The epiglottitis and blocked airway caused Michael to go into hypoxic cardiac arrest — meaning his heart stopped because of a lack of oxygen. According to Irwin Mitchell, the inquest into his death revealed there had been a “missed opportunity” to give Michael strong advice to go to the emergency room. The coroner noted that hospital staff would likely have been more familiar with his condition.
“This is a truly tragic case where a young dad has lost his life,” said Rosie Charlton, the family’s attorney. “Charlotte and the rest of Michael’s family are understandably struggling to cope with losing him so suddenly and unexpectedly, and under such circumstances. They’ve also had serious concerns about the events that unfolded before Michael’s death. Worryingly, the inquest has validated those concerns.”
Charlotte, who is now raising their 3-year-old son Jacob, said in a statement to Irwin Mitchell: “Watching Jacob grow up without his daddy by his side is devastating, and we miss Michael every single day. Michael meant everything to us, and losing him has left a huge hole in our lives that will never go away. We’d do anything to bring him back.”
Her statement continued: “All I can hope for now is that by sharing our story, it can lead to improvements in care for others and more awareness around the signs of epiglottitis and the need for emergency treatment, as it’s something I’d never even heard of before. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what we have.”
