My wife admitted to hospital from er with diagnosis of severe sepsis due to large abscess on intestine.she?

responded well w/antibiotics overnight,was lucid and talkative next morning.during admin. of Dilaudid went to code blue and died.autopsy no heart attack and all organs ok.cod severe sepsis related to crohn's dis. hospital staff admits to not checking vitals before Dilaudid ivp .county m.e. defered autopsy to hospital.Question:can death from severe sepsis be an acute event?or a cascade of events w/multiple organ problems?also she was at some point hypotensive during her 12 hrs. @hosp.