Lila Marsland was sent home from hospital hours before her deathChris Slater Senior Reporter and Steve Graves Executive Editor Digital
08:49, 13 Jun 2025
Darren and Rachael, parents of Lila Marsland(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
A mum and dad whose daughter died hours after being discharged from hospital said their lives were “empty” without her.
Two days after Christmas, Lila Marsland was eager to take her new bike for a spin. Her parents, Darren Marsland and Rachael Mincherton, decided to visit the scenic Dovestone Reservoir with their five year old.
However, Lila soon started to complain of a headache. As they made their way back to the car, she became sick and later began to suffer from neck pain. Concerned, Rachael took her to the hospital.
At that time, 36-year-old Rachael was serving as a district nurse for the trust overseeing Tameside General Hospital. She brought her daughter to A&E with ‘full faith’ in the medical staff’s ability to diagnose and treat whatever ailment Lila had.
Rachael admitted that she quickly grew worried that Lila might have contracted what is often referred to as ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’ – meningitis, reports the MEN.
Following a transfer to the children’s ward and despite ‘strong signs’ indicating the illness, Rachael was ‘reassured Lila didn’t have it’. The family left the hospital after Lila was diagnosed with tonsillitis.
Rachael said: “When I woke up in the morning she was dead.” In desperation, she called 999 and performed CPR on Lila.
Paramedics arrived swiftly at their Hyde, Tameside home, but it was too late; Lila was declared deceased just before 9.20am on December 28, 2023. The subsequent post-mortem examination confirmed that Lila had been suffering from meningitis, which led to her death.
Lila Marsland(Image: Family handout)
Following an inquest into the care and treatment of Lila at Tameside General Hospital, a jury concluded last week that her death was preventable and ‘contributed to by neglect’. Outside the courtroom, Rachael said: “I would like to thank the jury for coming to this conclusion, based on the evidence provided – a conclusion I have known for 17 months.
“The term ‘neglect’ is something no parent should ever have to confront, and now we face the heartbreaking loss of our daughter forever,” she continued.
Rachael and Darren, 42, along with Lila’s 15 year old sister Ava, are shattered by the tragedy.
In a heartfelt interview with the MEN, Lila’s parents remembered their daughter as an ‘amazing’ little girl who embraced life with joy.
“She just loved her life and was a pleasure to parent,” Rachael said. “She loved school, she loved playing out with her friends. She was always happy and would make everyone laugh. She was just a special little girl.”
The bond between Lila and Ava was also highlighted, with Rachael noting they ‘adored each other’.
Despite previous health challenges including pneumonia and sepsis in 2019, Lila’s tests had shown nothing concerning.
In the summer of 2023, Lila was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy. However, her condition was managed with medication and doctors anticipated she would ‘grow out of it’, according to Rachael.
Apart from this, Lila was in good health. She enjoyed an ‘absolutely fine’ Christmas celebration with her family.
Her parents initially didn’t worry too much when she complained of a headache while at Dovestone on December 27.
“It was really windy and we’d had a few days inside,” Rachael said. “I just thought some fresh air would do her good and we carried on walking around. Then she vomited.
“We got home and she was on and off sleeping throughout the day… not drinking and eating, I just really thought it was viral.
“But then she started complaining of neck pain, which is when we went to hospital. Children don’t tend to complain of neck pain, do they? That was my concern.”
Rachael, who worked for Tameside and Glossop NHS Trust for eight years, loved her job and her colleagues. She said that during four previous admissions, Lila had received ‘amazing care’.
“I trusted them,” Rachael added.
Lila – suffering from headaches; a sore throat; a high heart rate; neck pain and limited movement; vomiting, lethargy; and an inability to pass urine – was triaged.
Lila Marsland(Image: Family handout)
A senior doctor, who did not visually examine her, approved her transfer to paediatric A&E, the inquest jury heard.
A paediatric advanced nurse practitioner, who examined her on the children’s ward, assured Rachael that she was ‘confident’ her daughter didn’t have the life-threatening condition, according to court proceedings.
The nurse informed the inquest that her physical examination of Lila, coupled with her blood test results, indicated symptoms of tonsillitis. She stated that while she never completely dismissed the possibility of meningitis, she proceeded with a working diagnosis and initiated treatment for tonsillitis.
Lila remained in hospital for further observation. Rachael recalled being once again ‘reassured’ that her daughter ‘wouldn’t have meningitis’.
A paediatric registrar then conducted the ‘Kernig’ test for meningitis on Lila, which involves lifting the legs and moving them apart.
Rachael described how Lila ‘screamed’ in pain during the procedure. She alleges she was told her daughter ‘wouldn’t be able to do that if she had meningitis’.
“I left the hospital thinking she didn’t [have meningitis],” Rachael added.
At 4am, Lila woke up complaining of a headache and was given a half dose of Calpol. Approximately five hours later, Rachael found her unresponsive.
Darren expressed his feelings of emptiness. “You’re just sort of surviving really,” Rachael added.
She said “all sorts was going through [her] head.” After departing from the hospital’s mortuary, they began to suspect ‘something had gone wrong’, she added.
After over a week of evidence presented at Stockport Coroners’ Court, the jury at Lila’s inquest concluded that she died from pneumococcal meningitis streptococcal pneumonia. The jurors stated that her death was ‘contributed to by neglect’.
“Had Lila been admitted to hospital and given broad spectrum antibiotics within the first hour of being triaged, this would have prevented Lila’s death,” the jury determined.
Rachael described the findings as ‘devastating’, stating: “To sit in that inquest and hear how appalling her care was, I was shocked.
“There’s all the ‘what-ifs’. What if we’d taken her to another hospital? There’s all sorts.”
Area coroner Chris Morris penned two ‘prevention of future deaths’ reports, which will be sent to relevant authorities. These reports highlighted several concerns, including the use of ‘labyrinth systems’ which risked ‘information not following a patient through the system’.
He wrote to the hospital trust expressing concerns about its lack of adherence to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on meningitis, and missing notes from Lila’s case.
He also raised issues regarding the testimony provided by a senior doctor. The trust has issued an apology and acknowledged failings. A spokesperson told the MEN: “We’d like to reiterate our statement following the inquest.”
In response to the independent inquiry into Lila’s care, the Trust said: “It is clear from the independent investigation that there were missed opportunities in Lila’s care.
“We accept the coroner’s findings and apologise unreservedly. As a trust we have made and will continue to make improvements to ensure we learn from this case.”
They added: “It is clear from the independent investigation that there were missed opportunities in Lila’s care. We accept the coroner’s findings and apologise unreservedly for this.
“As a Trust, we have made and will continue to make improvements to ensure we learn from this case.
“Former employee Rachael, who has since left the Trust, expressed her discontent, saying she felt ‘unable to represent them’.
The family is now determined to ensure that Lila’s death results in positive change.
Rachael highlighted the need for better training within healthcare, and said: “There needs to be a lot more training on recognising meningitis and the signs and symptoms.”
Rachael and Darren have established a charity named Lila’s Light in memory of their daughter, which aims to provide ‘bereavement bags’ for siblings dealing with the loss of a brother or sister.
Darren and Rachael handing over ‘bereavement bags’ at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital as part of ‘Lila’s Light’
These bags include items that allow children to capture and cherish memories of their lost sibling.
Darren said: “The parents can understand their grief, by what they are writing and drawing,” adding that many children express themselves through art rather than verbally, “Because they don’t speak out, a lot of children, but they will put it on pen and paper. “.
They have been handed out to around 15 hospitals and the family want to go further. They have so far raised more than £15,000, with Darren and a group of friends climbing Ben Nevis in July to raise further funds.
To find out and more and donate, CLICK HERE.