Simple procedure for most turns deadly for 8-year-old at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – According to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Addyson Rudd, 8, has died. Rudd’s family confirmed with WVLT News she went in to get her tonsils removed and was dead less than a week later.

After her surgery at ETCH last Tuesday, she went home to recover and was reportedly okay. Less than 24 hours later, after rounds of medication, she had to be rushed back to the hospital.

“She essentially bled out in less than two minutes, and [her stepdad] was performing CPR in the bathroom until help arrived,” said her mother, Deanna Caudill. “She was terrified. Whenever she came out of the room she said ‘daddy.’”

Her parents said apparently a main artery burst, but are clueless as to the cause. They are hopeful an autopsy will reveal a cause.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, children rarely die after this kind of surgery, but it happens. Last year, they found seven per 100,000 deaths were related to a tonsillectomy; mostly due to some pre-existing chronic conditions. Addy was reportedly healthy.

So much so, she will be an organ donor.

“She’s always going to live on in another kid. She’ll always be remembered. She’s a hero. She’s my hero. She’s our hero,” her father, Billy Rudd, said.

The family is now banning together to send a warning out to parents.

“If a child has to be put under anesthesia, they shouldn’t be going home the [same] day. They should be monitored for up to 24-hours is what we believe and that’s what we’re pushing awareness for,” Rudd said.

Addy will be praised during a donor honor walk Thursday at ETCH. The hospital can’t tell WVLT News the circumstances around her death due to privacy laws.

Family members have set up a GoFundMe for her parents in an effort to keep their focus on Addy’s transition instead of medical bills.

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