Christmas tragedy as toddler found dead hours after being sent home from hospital

Investigation has been launched after her parents complained her case was not taken seriously enough

The heartbroken parents of a 22-month-old toddler have told how they found her dead - just hours after she was sent home from hospital.

Little Hailey Thompson was diagnosed with a virus on 18 December, and her family were told to keep giving her fluids and paracetamol.

But early the next day, her parents Kris Thompson, 32, and Iboyla Adam, 35, found her unresponsive in her bedroom.

Kris carried out CPR before a paramedic took over and the tot was rushed to Wigan Infirmary - where she tragically died despite the best efforts of medics.

Now an investigation has been launched after her parents have complained that Hailey’s case was not taken seriously enough.

Kris, of Wigan, Gtr Manchester, said: “We can’t believe we have lost our little girl.

“It all happened so quickly. Something in her body took control of her.

“When we found her at 5.30am on Monday she was lying in exactly the same position I had seen her in when I went to bed at midnight, only she was stiff and her skin discoloured.

“It was a horrible sight and will haunt me for the rest of my life.

“We knew in our hearts she had gone but I rang 999 and screamed down the phone that our daughter was dying so they got me to do CPR until the fast response paramedic arrived.

“But she couldn’t revive her and she was pronounced dead at hospital.”

“We can’t believe we have lost our little girl” (Kris Thompson / SWNS)

Hailey started with a cough and runny nose on 7 December, and was taken to see a GP who prescribed her antibiotics, but she stopped taking them due to an allergic reaction.

A week later, she was taken to another doctors appointment where the family were told that as she had a viral infection, she needed Calpol instead of antibiotics.

Just a day later, she was well enough to be running around, ate and drank well and went to bed at the usual time of 6.30pm.

Kris went into check on her at 11pm, where he found his daughter panting so he immediately rang 999, who said an ambulance would be there soon.

After 20 minutes, it didn’t arrive and 111 told him there was a two-hour wait so he drove Hailey to A&E, where they waited for over five hours before she was examined.

The doctor tested Hailey’s blood pressure and was unable to check her tonsils so told the family to go home, where she went straight to sleep.

Her parents were told to keep her hydrated and dosed with Calpol and if she hadn’t improved in three days, to bring her back to A&E.

She then woke up at noon, but was coughing, had a runny nose and was ‘completely out of character’.

Hailey was put to bed at 6.15pm on 18 December and Kris noticed she was panting again, but not as severely as earlier.

Less than six hours later, the couple made the most heartbreaking discovery.

Wigan Infirmary was experiencing one of its busiest-ever days on Sunday 18th and a ‘critical incident’ was later declared by the department.

But Ibolya and Kris want to know why no blood samples were taken when they took Hailey into the hospital ‘gasping for breath like a 90-year-old.’

The couple also said an attempt to check her tonsils was abandoned because of the youngster struggling, clamping her mouth shut and then vomiting.

Kris and Ibolya were told to take Hailey home and keep her hydrated, and if she hadn’t improved in three days, to bring her back to A&E.

But tragically, the youngster had died within 24 hours.

Kris said: “We want answers. How can a healthy baby die in her sleep?

“And why wasn’t she tested for strep A, scarlet fever or Covid for instance?”

A post-mortem examination cannot be carried out until Dec 28, leaving the pair facing an agonising wait for answers and police have passed the details onto the coroner.

A spokesperson for Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our sincere condolences go out to Hailey’s family at this tragic time.

“We are aware of the family’s concerns and are currently awaiting further information to understand more.”

SWNS