The boy from Naples who was awarded a damaged donor heart has died, Italian media outlets, including ANSA, “RAI News“ and “Sky TG 24“ reported, BTA reported.
The story of the child, who was 2 years old and who was initially tentatively called Tommaso or Francesco by the media before it became clear that his real name was Domenico, has caused a scandal in Italy. The child, who had severe cardiac problems, was on the waiting list for a new heart. On December 23 last year, a new heart was found for him from a 4-year-old donor in Bolzano. However, the heart was transported by a medical team from Bolzano to Naples in a regular container instead of a specialized one, and was not stored with regular ice, but with dry ice, which damaged it.
But when doctors in Naples determined that the donor heart was permanently damaged, they had already removed the child's real heart and had no choice but to transplant the damaged heart. The child was then put back on the waiting list for a new donor heart and was placed in a medically induced coma and on life support.
Last week, the boy's mother, Patricia, gave a series of interviews, and the case gained national fame. It was also reported by world agencies. It became clear that six doctors from Naples are being investigated for improperly transporting the donor heart.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the boy's mother on Tuesday and assured him that justice would be served. Shortly after, it became clear that a new donor heart was available for the child, but ultimately the doctors decided that the boy's condition was too serious to undergo another operation.
On February 19, a procession was held in Naples in solidarity with Domenico and his family. Now, the news of his death has been announced by his family and the hospital where he was being treated. Yesterday, Domenico's family announced that they had come to terms with the fact that the child's death was inevitable and that they were abandoning their original intention to seek help from specialists in other European countries.