In April 2023, what was meant to be a routine and relatively common surgical procedure turned into a devastating tragedy for one family in the United Kingdom.
Amber Milnes, a bright, loving five-year-old from St Just in Roseland, Cornwall, underwent elective surgery to treat obstructive sleep apnoea — a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
What should have been a standard tonsil and adenoid removal ended in catastrophe, leaving her parents, Sereta and Lewis Milnes, bereft and searching for answers.
Amber was described by her family as their “magical little princess”, a joyful, musical child who lit up every room with her laughter, singing, and imagination. She adored playing with princesses and dolls, and was known for being affectionate, caring, and brave even from a young age.
A Common Operation for a Rare Child
On 5 April 2023, Amber underwent an adenotonsillectomy at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, a surgical procedure that removes the tonsils and adenoids and is among the most commonly performed operations in children.
The aim was to relieve her sleep apnoea, a serious but treatable condition that interferes with healthy breathing during sleep, affecting energy, growth, and quality of life.
Yet unlike many children who have this surgery and go home the same day, Amber had another significant medical condition: cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS) — a rare disorder that causes episodes of severe nausea and vomiting that can last for hours, recur unpredictably, and frequently require hospital support.
Those episodes often left her dehydrated and in need of medical care over the years.
Because of this, Amber’s parents had repeatedly told clinicians that she should ideally remain in hospital overnight after her surgery to minimise the risk of a CVS flare-up or complications afterwards.
Discharge and Rapid Decline
Despite these concerns, Amber was discharged from the hospital on the same day as her surgery, after a 38-minute operation that the surgeon described as uncomplicated and showing no immediate signs of infection or unusual bleeding.
The Milnes family was surprised by this decision. Amber had arrived at the hospital early in the day, and by around 9 p.m. she was back home.
At the time, her parents assumed that she would be watched overnight because of her underlying health needs — particularly her CVS.
In the early hours of 6 April 2023, Amber began to vomit. Initially, her parents called the hospital to ask for advice, and were told to monitor her closely and call back if symptoms did not improve.
Amber’s vomiting continued relentlessly — reportedly around 20 episodes throughout that day — and by about 10 p.m., her parents brought her back to the hospital for urgent care.
