A heart-wrenching incident unfolded when three-year-old Ryleigh Hillcoat-Bee tragically passed away, three months after being sent home from the hospital. Doctors “missed opportunities” to diagnose her with a rare illness, resulting in devastating consequences.
Ryleigh fell ill while on vacation with her family in North Wales and was rushed to the hospital. However, vital signs in her blood, such as extraordinarily high levels of Creatine Kinase and potassium, were overlooked. These signs indicated a potentially serious muscle problem known as rhabdomyolysis. Despite these red flags, Ryleigh was discharged from the hospital without the appropriate intervention.
It wasn’t until three months later, when Ryleigh started experiencing difficulty breathing, that her parents, Caroline and Andrew, rushed her back to A&E. Tragically, she suffered a heart attack and passed away on November 8, 2021, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
At the inquest, area coroner Alan Wilson stated that there were multiple missed opportunities to investigate Ryleigh’s inability to move before her initial release in August. As medical negligence lawyer Diane Rostron pointed out, the hospital had received clear advice from colleagues in Leeds to seek specialist guidance from a neuromuscular specialist. Had they followed this advice, they could have diagnosed rhabdomyolysis and obtained advice on managing flare-ups. This crucial information would have significantly impacted Ryleigh’s treatment and empowered her parents to navigate her condition effectively.
Speaking on behalf of Ryleigh’s devastated parents, Caroline Bee and Andy Hillcoat, Rostron shared, “We strongly believe that Ryleigh’s passing could have been prevented. We have been instructed to pursue a medical negligence claim.” The couple expressed their profound sadness and their struggle to ensure a thorough investigation into their daughter’s untimely demise. They firmly believe that Ryleigh should still be alive today, given the missed opportunities to provide appropriate care.
In response, Chris Barben, President of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, extended his deepest condolences to Ryleigh’s family and all those impacted by this tragedy. The Trust is committed to carefully considering the Coroner’s findings and implementing measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Caroline’s sister-in-law, Katie Hobbs, organized a charity event and participated in the Royal Parks Half Marathon in 2022 to raise funds for The Compassionate Friends. This organization provided invaluable support to Ryleigh’s parents during the most challenging time in their lives. Katie expressed her heartfelt tribute to Ryleigh, describing her as a charismatic little girl with a radiant smile, who brought joy to everyone she encountered. The compassionate efforts of The Compassionate Friends helped Ryleigh’s parents connect with other bereaved families and offered them solace through a retreat where they could share their grief with others who understood their pain.
In memory of Ryleigh, let us strive to learn from this heartbreaking incident and work towards ensuring that no other child and family experience such a devastating loss due to missed opportunities.