Lila Marsland, five, died from meningitis at her home in Tameside
Lila Marsland
A five-year-old girl died at home in her sleep from meningitis just hours after being sent home from hospital with suspected tonsillitis, and inquest has heard.
Lila Marsland was found unresponsive in bed by her mum Rachael Mincherton on the morning of December 28, 2023. Around eight hours earlier she had been discharged from Tameside Hospital by doctors.
Today (May 27), a jury inquest at Stockport coroners court was told they said she had tonsillitis and prescribed her antibiotics and a throat spray.
Ms Mincherton, who at the time worked as a district nurse at Tameside Hospital, told the inquest she has concerns her daughter was discharged ‘inappropriately’. As the inquest got underway on Tuesday morning the 11 members of the jury were each shown a photograph of Lila.
Area coroner Chris Morris told the court the youngster, of Hyde, was a pupil at Flowery Field primary school who loved cheerleading, tap dancing, Rainbows, going on holiday and swimming.
Lila Marsland, with her mother Rachael and sister
Ms Mincherton said: “Lila was a happy girl who cherished being around her friends. She adored her teachers.
“After school it would take a while to leave as she would hug all the teachers before going home. She was a joy to parent, making it an easy and delightful experience.”
On December 27 the family went for a walk around Dovestones reservoir in Saddleworth so Lila could ride a new bike she’d got for Christmas. But after about 10 minutes she started complaining of a headache.
On the walk back to the car she vomited and spent the rest of the afternoon on the sofa falling in and out of sleep. At around 4.45pm Ms Mincherton took Lila to A&E at Tameside General hospital because she was ‘drowsy and lethargic’ and was complaining of a pain in her neck.
She was seen by a triage nurse, where her heart-rate was found to be 153bpm, and moved to the children’s ward. Blood tests were taken, after which Lila vomited a second time, and she was examined by two doctors and an advanced nurse practitioner.
Ms Mincherton said medics told her they suspected Lila had a tonsil infection, but ‘couldn’t rule out’ meningitis, and gave her a dose of antibiotics. Ms Mincherton said she told doctors on a number of occasions that Lila hadn’t urinated since around 8am and told the jury that despite concerns over meningitis her body wasn’t examined for rashes.
Lila Marsland
At 11.30pm at doctor performed a ‘test for meningitis’ on Lila involving lifting her legs in the air and moving them apart. Ms Mincherton said Lila ‘screamed and cried in pain’. Lila was diagnosed with tonsillitis and discharged at around 2am.
Ms Mincherton said they drove home, got in bed together and fell asleep. Lila woke up about 4am complaining of a headache and was given a half dose of Calpol. At around 9am Ms Mincherton woke up and found Lila unresponsive.
She called 999 and attempted CPR. Paramedics arrived at the home and Lila was pronounced dead at 9.19am.
Pathologist Dr Gemma Petts told the jury she proposed a cause of a death as pneumococcal meningitis. Dr Petts said the ‘classical symptoms’ of meningitis included feeling unwell, feeling hot, an aversion to light and a stiff neck while more general symptoms included vomiting and diarrhoea.
Ms Mincherton told how her daughter’s death had ‘shattered’ her life. She said: “I still imagine Lila walking through the door with her radiant smile. I’m heartbroken.
“Lila had her entire life ahead of her. I have an issue with was she discharged from hospital inappropriately? Losing Lila has made me feel like I have lost myself.”
Ms Mincherton also told the inquest she hadn’t returned to work since Lila’s death and was ‘uncertain’ about doing so as she would ‘need to promote the trust’. The inquest heard Lila had been diagnosed with childhood absence epilepsy in 2023 after suffering regular seizures and that she’d also contracted sepsis and cellulitis on a number of occasions.
Since Lila’s death, Ms Mincherton and her partner Lila’s dad Darren Marsland, a scaffolder, have set up a charity called Lila’s Light to raise money to support bereaved siblings.
The hearing is expected to last eight days.