A university student died from a rare brain abscess after being prescribed nasal spray for suspected sinusitis, an inquest has heard – a complication so uncommon it affects only one in 100,000 people.
Cian Everett, 21, a final-year Politics and International Relations student at the University of Reading and a keen rower, was found dead at his family home in New Milton, Hampshire, in January 2025. The cause was raised intracranial pressure caused by an intracerebral abscess that had been developing for five to seven days, accompanied by acute meningitis that emerged roughly a day before his death.
The abscess, which measured between 4cm and 6cm – around the size of a snooker ball – was located on the frontal lobe of Mr Everett’s brain. When examined after his death, his brain weighed 1,788g, significantly above the expected 1,300–1,400g, a sign of the severe pressure caused by the swelling.
Brain abscesses are a rare but critical complication of sinusitis. Bacteria from the sinuses can spread directly into the cranial cavity, creating a pus-filled collection that compresses brain tissue and raises pressure inside the skull. The condition is difficult to diagnose in its early stages because its symptoms – headache, fever, lethargy – overlap with those of common sinus infections. The inquest at Winchester Coroner’s Court was told that a brain abscess of this nature was a “one in 100,000 case”.
Timeline of symptoms and missed opportunities
Mr Everett had complained of headaches to his mother, Gillian, when she visited him in Reading in December 2024. In the new year, his condition worsened. He became “cold and lethargic”, lost his appetite, and stopped his normal activities. On 12 January, Mrs Everett called NHS 111 and was told to take her son to a pharmacy, where he was diagnosed with sinusitis. She said healthcare professionals at that stage ruled out suggestions of sepsis or meningitis.
The following day, 13 January, Mrs Everett called 111 again because of the “thunderclap” headaches Mr Everett was experiencing – pain he described as feeling like “he’d been hit like a brick” or “hit by a pile of bricks”. A thunderclap headache is defined by doctors as a severe headache that reaches its maximum intensity within one minute and is considered a medical emergency requiring immediate investigation for conditions such as haemorrhage or abscess.
Mr Everett was directed to Lymington’s Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC). However, it emerged during the inquest that the UTC excluded itself from seeing “thunderclap” incidents because it lacked the appropriate equipment to assess such cases.
At the UTC, Dr Simon Escalon assessed Mr Everett. He told the inquest he had not seen the specific details from the earlier 111 calls – a critical failure in the transfer of information. Dr Escalon noted that Mr Everett no longer had green nasal discharge, which he interpreted as a sign of improvement, and prescribed an over-the-counter nasal spray for sinusitis. He later concluded that if Mr Everett had an abscess, he would be “drowsy”, and therefore did not refer him for further testing.
Mr Everett’s mother said she did not accompany him into the consultation because “he was an adult”, but added that she “should have” because he was “not a fusser”. She recalled that the evening before his death he had been watching television and “bantering with his father”, and that she left a washing-up bowl out for him in case he needed to vomit.
Just before 6.30am on 14 January, Mrs Everett heard a “horrible gurgling noise” from her son’s bedroom. She rushed in, began shaking him and started CPR after calling 999. He was pronounced dead shortly after paramedics arrived.
Inquest findings and systemic concerns
Assistant Coroner Sarah Whitby gave a narrative conclusion of natural causes following a rare complication of sinusitis that was not recognised. She confirmed the medical cause of death as raised intracranial pressure, an intracerebral abscess, and acute meningitis.
“He was a fit and healthy young man with no relevant medical history,” she said. “The abscess had been developing over five to seven days before his death. The meningitis had been present for approximately a day before his death. It is the abscess which is the main cause and it is a rare occurrence.”
The coroner highlighted several procedural issues. Dr Escalon had not seen the notes from the 111 calls, and the UTC’s exclusion of thunderclap headache cases meant that a patient reporting that symptom was not assessed against a higher-index of suspicion. It was confirmed that processes at the surgery relating to the review of 111 calls have changed since Mr Everett’s death.
Dr Judith Burchardt, a GP in Reading who had worked with Mr Everett, said: “He was a healthy young man and was a rower. He had an unremarkable medical history. I was very shocked to hear of his death and please send my condolences to his family.”
Ms Whitby confirmed she will publish a Prevention of Future Deaths report, a formal mechanism that allows coroners to highlight systemic risks and require organisations such as NHS trusts or regulatory bodies to respond within 56 days explaining what action will be taken.
Since their son’s death, the Everett family have launched a development foundation to support charities and organisations that provide relief to young people in need. In a tribute, they said: “Throughout his all too short time with us, Cian had an active, diverse, and fun-filled life that was encouraged and supported by a close network of family and friends. As a result, Cian had a passion for music, enjoyed many sports, loved his academic life, had a wide group of friends and was just starting to build the network of friends and contacts that were going to be the foundation of his career and future life. We were all excited to see what he was going to do next.”
