A six-year-old boy with a dry cough died after medics allegedly administered an adrenaline dose "meant for a heart-attack patient."

Benício Xavier de Freitas had six consecutive cardiac arrests in hospital after falling ill and turning pale. He'd had three 3ml doses of intravenous adrenaline at 30-minute intervals when he was taken to hospital with suspected laryngitis, it is claimed.

The youngster — his family's only child — fell ill moments after he was given the first of the doses and, writhing, told his mother: "Mum, my heart is burning". Despite medics' best efforts in the hospital in Manaus, Brazil, Benício died at 2:55am on Sunday November 23.

The nurse who prescribed the intravenous adrenaline has since been suspended amid an investigation to the death, it is alleged. Benício's dad, Bruno, said: "She said it was a system error and a nursing error. But everything had been prescribed by her. The dosage was clearly written. He only had a dry cough. That dose is meant for someone having a heart attack. We understand it was an extremely serious mistake."

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It is said the boy was also given nasal rinses and syrup when his parents took him to the hospital on Saturday. Recalling how Benício deteriorated after he used these and took the first dose of intravenous adrenaline, Bruno said: "He went pale instantly. His face turned white, his feet yellowed, and his nose and eyes reddened. He writhed and said, 'Mum, my heart is burning."

The heartbroken dad, from Manaus, added Benício was rushed to the emergency room, but his blood oxygen level quickly dropped to around 75%. He was intubated in the ICU around 11pm but responded poorly to the procedure. Doctors resuscitated the little boy after the first five cardiac arrests, but he sadly succumbed to the sixth one.

Now, it is reported the hospital has started a probe and a nurse has been suspended while this continues. Police and the Regional Medical Council are also investigating, it is claimed.

Bruno, who has no other children, added: "We want justice for Benício and for no other family to go through what we are experiencing. What we want is for this never to happen again. We wouldn't wish this pain on anyone."

The tragedy comes after a coroner ruled a first-time mum died from a bleed on the brain just days after giving birth following "inadequate care" by medics who sent her home twice from hospital. Ilona Kazik, 32, suffered a major obstetric bleed just hours after her first child Antony was born via a planned c-section at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.