The mother of a 16-year-old girl who died at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) in January 2024 said one of the last things her only child said before her death was “mammy, I can’t breath”.
Niamh McNally (16) was admitted to the midwest hospital on January 9th, 2024, after she began coughing up blood. She remained there for 14 days and was treated for a collapsed lung and pneumonia. She was discharged on January 23rd.
The teenager, who had a congenital heart defect and scoliosis, was readmitted to hospital on January 29th by ambulance after once again coughing up blood. She suffered a cardiac arrest that night and died.
An inquest into her death opened at Limerick coroner’s court in Kilmallock on Wednesday.
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Speaking at the hearing, her mother Carolyn O’Neill became emotional when recalling the details of the day of her daughter’s death.
“I got up early to go shopping and I texted her at 11.30am to see how she was. I received a video call in response because she couldn’t communicate because she had so much blood in her mouth. It was just mouthfuls and mouthfuls of blood. I thought she would be dead by the time I got home,” she said.
Ms O’Neill returned home and witnessed a “horrific scene” of her daughter lying down, covered in blood.
She rang the hospital ward to which Niamh had previously been admitted and rang the GP but did not receive a response. She then called an ambulance, which brought her daughter to UHL.
Ms O’Neill told the inquest they arrived at the hospital and her daughter was in resuscitation for about two hours. It was about three hours after their arrival that she saw a doctor, she added.
Niamh was then moved out to the corridor where they stayed for about three hours, Ms O’Neill said.
“When I look back, Niamh was dying then. She was shutting down,” Ms O’Neill said.
The 16-year-old‘s condition was deteriorating, at which point medics made a decision to return her to the resuscitation area.
“She was deteriorating,” her mother said. “Nobody came to help after four times shouting that I need help. She turned around at that stage and said ‘Mammy, I can’t breathe’.”
At this point, Ms O’Neill said a doctor came and began pumping an oxygen bag for Niamh. He had no assistance and so Ms O’Neill said she assisted until a nurse became available and she was asked to leave.
Doctors who treated the teenager gave evidence that she experienced a cardiac arrest, and CPR activity was undertaken. However, Niamh was pronounced dead at 22:55pm.
Speaking at the inquest, medical professionals agreed the teenager was coughing up a significant amount of blood before her death, which would require immediate intervention.
However, Dr Syed Musayi, consultant in general medicine at UHL at the time of her first admission, said her clinical presentation suggested it was “very obvious” she had a lower respiratory tract infection.
At the outset of the inquiry, the HSE issued an apology to the family, stating it was with “deepest regret and profound sadness that we write to you following the tragic loss of your daughter, Niamh”.
HSE Midwest acknowledged “the devastating consequences that this has had on both you and your extended family”.
“We understand that no words can adequately express the pain and grief you are experiencing, and we offer our sincerest condolences for your devastating loss. We are heartbroken that Niamh, a young life with so much potential, was taken from you too soon, and we know that she will be deeply missed by all who knew her,” the letter said.
“The circumstances surrounding Niamh’s passing are a source of immense sorrow for us, and we sincerely regret the opportunities that were missed to intervene. We accept that these failings, which ultimately led to Niamh’s tragic death, should not have happened. On behalf of the management and staff of the University Hospital, we wish to apologise unreservedly for these failings.”
The letter, signed by Sandra Broderick, regional executive officer for the Midwest, and Ian Carter, chief executive of Mid West Acute and Older People, said they “can never undo the devastation that you and your extended family have suffered”.
“However, we are committed to learning from this tragedy and to implementing any necessary changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
The inquest continues on Thursday.
