MUM’S AGONY My daughter, 5, was found dead in bed just hours after being sent home from A&E with ‘tonsillitis’
WHEN little Lila Marsland began suffering a headache, sickness and neck pain, her mum Rachael Mincherton knew it was time to take her to A&E.
The tot was discharged from the hospital with “tonsillitis“, but just hours later Rachael woke up to find Lila “dead next to me” in bed.
Paramedics rushed to the family’s home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, and performed CPR but it was too late.
Lila was pronounced dead at the scene, just two weeks before her sixth birthday.
Rachael, a district nurse, feared her daughter had meningitis when she took her to hospital.
This was indeed the case, but medics at Tameside Hospital didn’t carry out blood tests, and instead sent the 5-year-old home with antibiotics.
Rachael and Lila’s dad, Darren Marsland, say their lives are “empty” without her.
The parents have now received compensation after Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust admitted failings in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Lila’s bacterial meningitis.
The Trust accepted those failings materially contributed to her death and paid the family an undisclosed sum.
Rachael said: “Losing Lila is something we’ll never come to terms with. She was the most amazing and adorable little girl.
