Three months after being discharged from A&E, a three-year-old girl passed away due to medical professionals’ “missed opportunities” to identify her unusual condition.
When Ryleigh Hillcoat-Bee fell ill while on holiday in North Wales with her family, she was sent to the hospital.
Potassium and creatine kinase were “extraordinarily high” in the small girl’s blood.
The symptoms and indicators suggest a severe muscle issue. along with rhabdomyolysis. In spite of this, Ryleigh was discharged from the hospital.
Three months later, she was having problems breathing, so her parents, Caroline and Andrew, hurried her back to A&E.
She suffered a heart attack in Blackpool Victoria Hospital on Monday, November 8, 2021, and passed away.
At an inquest held last week, Blackpool’s district coroner, Alan Wilson, stated that there had been multiple “missed opportunities” to investigate Ryleigh’s limited mobility prior to her August release.
In the interest of Ryleigh’s parents, “The hospital was given clear advice from colleagues in Leeds during Ryleigh’s admission in August 2021 to get specialist advice from a neuromuscular specialist,” stated Diane Rostron, a medical negligence attorney.
“They could have diagnosed rhabdomyolysis and received guidance on treating a flare-up if they had done that.” The hospital would have informed Ryleigh’s parents with this information after determining what was wrong with her, allowing them to investigate further.
“On November 8, 2021, Riley passed away, barely three months after being discharged from the hospital nearly three years prior to her birth.”
“My clients were told that Ryleigh would get better as soon as she got sick, instead of being told that she had rhabdomyolysis and the parents being given advice on how to safely handle this.”
“We feel that Ryleigh’s death could have been avoided, and we have been directed to file a claim for medical malpractice.”
Ryleigh’s parents, Andy Hillcoat and Caroline Bee, expressed their sadness over their daughter’s passing. I had to work very hard to get her death thoroughly investigated. The trip has been difficult and lengthy.
Even though there is compelling evidence that Ryleigh’s rhabdomyolysis flare-up in August 2021 could have been appropriately controlled, we are devastated by the coroner’s verdict.
“We think Ryleigh ought to be here right now, but she was not given a chance to live.”
“First, I want to send my deepest condolences to Ryleigh’s family and everyone who was touched by her life, both personally and on behalf of everyone at the Trust,” said Chris Barben, president of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
“We will be carefully considering the Coroner’s findings regarding the way the Trust conducted itself during this tragic incident, even though we know that this will not bring Ryleigh back. Our goal is to ensure that we learn as much as possible from what happened and work to prevent anything similar from happening again.”
In 2022, Katie Hobbs, Caroline’s sister-in-law, coordinated a charity event and participated in the Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise funds for The Compassionate Friends. More than £3,000. was raised at the event.
“My sister-in-law Caroline and her partner Andrew’s daughter Ryleigh died suddenly and out of the blue in November of last year,” Katie said on the GoFundMe page.
“Her parents and everyone who knew her have been devastated by her loss.”
“She was a charming little child with a wide smile who filled everyone she came into contact with with magic and joy.”
“I’m running for the kind friends who supported Ryleigh’s amazing parents during the darkest period of their lives.”
“The charity arranged a retreat where they will meet face-to-face and connected them with other grieving parents.”
