How medical negligence led to the death of my 16-year-old son — Eucharia Anunobi

Nigerian actress and evangelist Eucharia Anunobi has spoken about the death of her only son, Raymond, saying medical negligence at a Lagos hospital contributed to the tragedy.

The actress shared the account during a recent appearance on *The Honest Bunch Podcast* published on YouTube, where she reflected on her son’s illness, the medical treatment he received shortly before his death, and the personal challenges she faced raising him.

Anunobi said Raymond, whom she had with her former husband Charles Ekwu, lived with Sickle Cell Disease. She explained that both she and her ex-husband carry the AS genotype, which can result in a child being born with the SS genotype.

According to the actress, Raymond was diagnosed with the condition early in life and required constant medical care. She said she took responsibility for his treatment and medical expenses after her marriage ended.

Recounting the events that led to his death, Anunobi said she returned from a trip abroad when Raymond was 16 and decided to take him to the hospital for a routine check-up. During the visit, a haematologist asked if he had previously received a blood transfusion. She said the only transfusion he had received was when he was about three years old.

Based on that information, the doctor recommended another transfusion to improve his blood level. Anunobi said she left the ward to make payment for the blood needed for the procedure.

She alleged that while she was away, a student doctor misunderstood the instruction and removed three pints of blood from her son instead of administering a transfusion.

“When I came back, he had already turned yellow,” she said, describing signs of jaundice. Medical staff later moved Raymond to the intensive care unit as his condition deteriorated. Despite efforts by doctors to stabilise him, he died shortly afterwards.

Raymond died on 22 August 2017 at the age of 16 years, six months and 22 days. Anunobi said the loss left her without children but added that her Christian faith helped her cope with the grief.

She described the years she spent raising Raymond as among the most meaningful in her life, saying the experience of caring for him strengthened her relationship with God.

The actress also reflected on her marriage to Ekwu, saying she had initially considered ending the relationship after discovering that both of them had the AS genotype. She said he persuaded her to continue the relationship, expressing hope that they could still have a child without the SS genotype.

Anunobi said Raymond later fell ill at the age of one and tests confirmed he had the SS genotype. She alleged that her husband eventually abandoned the family, leaving her to shoulder the responsibility of caring for their son alone.