In the quiet town of Gainesville, Florida, the Page family’s world shattered on a cold March morning.
Two-year-old De’Markus Jeremiah Page, a bright-eyed boy with a heart full of curiosity, had been battling persistent vomiting, diarrhea, and poor oral intake.
He was a child with special needs, requiring extra attention and care, yet his spirit remained unbroken.
On March 1, 2024, after a series of concerning symptoms, De’Markus was admitted to AdventHealth Ocala Hospital.
Doctors diagnosed him with a viral illness and critically low potassium levels, a dangerous imbalance that demanded urgent attention.
Immediate IV therapy was initiated, and plans were made to transfer him to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida, a facility known for higher-level pediatric care.
The family trusted the hospital to provide the vigilance and expertise their little boy desperately needed.
But over the next 36 hours, their hope turned into a nightmare.
Instead of being placed in an intensive care unit, De’Markus was admitted to a general pediatric ward.
Despite his dangerously low electrolyte levels and complex medical condition, the hospital did not implement the critical care protocols required for monitoring such a fragile patient.
Fluid and electrolyte checks, along with 24-hour intake and output measurements, were not ordered or executed.
By March 3, 2024, a series of medical errors compounded the crisis.
De’Markus received a tenfold overdose of oral potassium phosphate alongside other unmonitored potassium routes.
These mistakes caused his blood potassium levels to spike to fatal levels.
Without proper lab surveillance or continuous monitoring, no one realized the severity of the situation until it was too late.
The boy’s heart went into cardiac arrest.
Yet because De’Markus was not on cardiac monitoring and lacked critical care supervision, the arrest went unnoticed for crucial minutes.
When staff finally intervened, over twenty minutes had passed.
Attempts to intubate him and protect his airway were unsuccessful, hampered by inadequate training and faulty equipment.
The overdose-induced cardiac arrest was technically reversible, but the prolonged delay resulted in devastating oxygen deprivation.
By the time intervention succeeded, De’Markus had suffered catastrophic brain injury.
He was ultimately declared brain dead and passed away in his mother Dominique Page’s arms.
Every mother’s worst fear had come true.
Dominique recalled the moment with anguish that words can barely contain: waking each day, reaching out for her son, only to find an empty room, a silent echo of the life that once was.
“He didn’t have to die. We trusted them with his life,” Dominique said.
The tragedy has raised critical concerns about patient safety and the treatment of children with special needs in hospital settings.
The lawsuit filed by the Page family claims that Shands Hospital failed to meet federal and accreditation standards for pediatric resuscitation and documentation.
Legal representatives, including Jordan Dulcie from Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, vowed to hold the hospital fully accountable.
“No parent should endure this. What this family has endured was completely preventable,” Dulcie stated.
The story of De’Markus is a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life can be and how important timely, attentive medical care is for vulnerable children.
Each moment of neglect, each lapse in monitoring, transformed a reversible medical condition into a tragedy that will haunt a family forever.
The Pages hope that by sharing their son’s story, other parents and healthcare professionals will become aware of the grave consequences of medical oversight.
They hope no other child suffers due to preventable errors, and that hospitals uphold the standards of care every child deserves.
Friends, neighbors, and the community have rallied around the family, mourning the loss of a child who was full of life and potential.
The image of De’Markus, small hands clutched by his mother, remains seared into their hearts, a symbol of love, hope, and loss.
Every day, Dominique wakes with the weight of what could have been, haunted by the knowledge that her son’s death was avoidable.
The Pages’ journey through grief, anger, and advocacy is ongoing.
They have committed to speaking out about pediatric safety and accountability, hoping that their loss will spark meaningful change.
Through their sorrow, they channel a message to hospitals, caregivers, and policymakers: vigilance saves lives.
Children with complex medical needs require constant attention, precise monitoring, and staff trained to act swiftly in emergencies.
Every child deserves a chance at life, and every parent deserves assurance that their child is protected.
De’Markus’ life, though brief, leaves an enduring lesson about the importance of healthcare accountability.
The Pages honor his memory by fighting to prevent such tragedies in the future, ensuring that his story resonates far beyond the walls of Shands Hospital.
In the quiet moments, when the world seems still, Dominique holds the memory of her son tightly.
She remembers his laughter, his bright eyes, his small hands, and the joy he brought into her life.
Though the grief is immeasurable, the determination to protect other children grows stronger each day.
The Pages’ advocacy underscores a vital truth: in medicine, mistakes are not just statistics; they are lives altered, families broken, and hearts shattered.
By sharing the story of De’Markus Jeremiah Page, the family seeks not only justice but awareness, education, and reform.
May his story serve as a beacon, urging the medical community to prioritize vigilance, compassion, and accountability for every child entrusted to their care.
De’Markus may have left this world, but his memory, and the urgent call for change he inspires, will endure.