An 11-year-old girl who was sent home from hospital after being told she had constipation was tragically found dead at her home just hours later.
Annabel Greenhalgh’s parents are now demanding answers after the schoolgirl was discharged from Warwick Hospital, where doctors at A&E said she had constipation. The following morning, on October 14, 2022, her dad Craig found her unresponsive at their home in Warwick and called 999. Despite attempts by paramedics to resuscitate her, Annabel was pronounced dead at the scene.
The beloved daughter experienced severe abdominal pain from 2017 until 2021, which required hospital treatment on several occasions. An inquest into Annabel’s death will begin on Friday, June 14 at Coventry Coroners’ Court.
Heartbroken parents Craig and Josie said they have been left with a “gaping hole” in their lives. Josie, 45, said: “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 absolutely loved her music, her fashion, her art, her friends, and her beloved cat Reuben. She was our greatest gift and brought so much love, joy and happiness to our lives. Since losing her, much of our days have been filled with distress, emptiness and sorrow.”
The 11-year-old had just become a pupil at Alcester Grammar School and was described as “well-loved” by teachers and pupils. Her parents are hoping the investigation into her death will present details about her treatment before she died. Craig said: “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. Every day since then, we’ve wondered if more could have been done to save our little girl. She was our only child and we still have so many unanswered questions about what happened to her.
“We know that hearing everything again at the inquest will be incredibly difficult, but it’s something we need to do to honour our daughter and get the answers we’ve been seeking for more than 18 months.
“Since losing Annabel, there’s been a gaping hole in our lives and we wouldn’t wish what we’ve suffered on anyone. She had just started secondary school and had her whole life ahead of her. Words cannot truly express how much we miss her.”
Craig and Josie have since been in touch with medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to further investigate the tragedy. The family’s solicitor Emma Rush said: “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. 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.”