A mother mourns a son lost after a routine procedure

WATERVLIET, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A West Michigan family is devastated after their five-year-old son went in for a fairly routine procedure, and a week later, wound up dead.

It's a procedure commonly prescribed to younger children with breathing issues. Five-year-old Hunter Mosher went in for an out-patient procedure on May 8^th to help with his hearing, but was admitted to another hospital a day later when his parents noticed something was wrong.

A short while later, Hunter slipped into a coma, and a week later he was gone. Hunter's family is now struggling to find out what went wrong.

The parents of Hunter thought they were bringing their son to Community Hospital in Watervliet for routine surgery, never expecting that he would pass away a week later.

"He was a little pistol, very strong little guy, very independent," said Erin Mosher, Hunter's mother.

For Erin, her son Hunter was a man and a boy all at the same time, he climbed trees like any kid, but also hunted like any adult. His death on Saturday has hit hard.

"He's my son, I took him in to help him, and he died, how much harder could it be," said Erin.

The Mosher's say Hunter was healthy before he went in for a procedure at Community Hospital in Watervliet, a procedure to reduce the size of his tonsils to help his hearing. Immediately after the surgery, Erin says she knew something was wrong.

"He was like Mom, my throat hurts, my throat hurts," said Erin, "and I called and was like my son is in pain, and you need to give him something, and I was like something is wrong."

Erin rushed Hunter to Three Rivers Hospital, which eventually transferred him via helicopter to Bronson where he slipped into a coma, and later passed on.

"No mother should take her son in to have a tonsil reduction, or have a tonsillectomy for that matter," said Erin, "they happen all across the country, no risk was told to me."

The Moshers say Hunter was getting his tonsils reduced with laser surgery at Community Hospital, but by the time he got to Bronson, they had learned that his carotid artery suffered damage, and bleeding may have killed him.

Watervliet Community Hospital's CEO released a statement saying "everyone with our hospital was deeply saddened to learn about this, our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time."

But the Mosher's hope for more.

"I couldn't promise Hunter that no child's ever going to go through this again, because that's not realistic," said Erin, "but as I laid him there and I had his little blankie, Momma promises she's not going to stop."

The historic home where Hunter was born is quiet now, and his favorite toy sits idle.

"He did more in his five years than a lot of us do in our whole lives," said Erin.

Newschannel 3 contacted the surgeon involved in the Mosher's case. He declined to comment, citing patient confidentiality. We investigated and found that state records show he has no sanctions since becoming a doctor in 1972.