The heartbroken parents of Annabel Greenhalgh, an 11-year-old girl who tragically died just hours after being sent home from A&E, are demanding answers as an inquest into her death is set to begin.
Annabel Greenhalgh, a student at Alcester Grammar School, died in October 2022 after complaining of abdominal pain. Her parents, Craig and Josie Greenhalgh, took her to A&E at Warwick Hospital on October 13, 2022. Despite her history of serious abdominal pain, doctors diagnosed her with constipation and sent her home that evening.
Parents’ Devastation and Search for Answers
Craig found Annabel unresponsive the following morning and immediately called 999. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her parents have since been seeking answers, questioning if more could have been done to save their daughter.
Craig expressed the family’s anguish: “When we were told we could take Annabel home from the hospital, we trusted that there was nothing serious going on. To wake up the next morning and find her unresponsive was absolutely devastating and something we still struggle to comprehend.”
The inquest into Annabel’s death is set to begin on June 14 at Coventry Coroners’ Court. Josie shared her grief and memories of Annabel in the following words:
“Annabel was an incredible child and loved by all who met her. She was gentle, phenomenally bright, creative, fun, and always inclusive of everyone. She was our greatest gift and brought so much love, joy, and happiness to our lives.”
Legal Action and Call for Patient Safety Improvements
The family has instructed medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the tragedy. Their solicitor, Emma Rush, stated:
“Josie and Craig understandably remain devastated at losing their little girl so suddenly and tragically. They also continue to have a number of questions over what happened to her. While nothing can bring Annabel back, the inquest is a major milestone in being able to provide her family with the answers they deserve.”
Rush emphasized the importance of the inquest in identifying any issues in Annabel’s care to improve patient safety in the following words:
“If, during the course of the inquest, any issues in the care provided to Annabel are identified, it’s vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety.”
The Family Continues to Struggle With Painful Loss of Their Daughter
Craig and Josie continue to cope with the immense loss of their only child. Josie shared, “Since losing her, many of our days have been filled with distress, emptiness, and sorrow.” Craig added, “Every day since then, we’ve wondered if more could have been done to save our little girl. She had just started secondary school and had her whole life ahead of her. Words cannot truly express how much we miss her.”
The family hopes the inquest will provide the answers they have been seeking for more than 18 months, honoring Annabel’s memory and ensuring no other family suffers a similar tragedy.
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