The heartbreaking story of Lila
Lila Marsland: A Preventable Tragedy
Five-year-old Lila Marsland was known for her joy, energy, and love of life. But after falling ill during a family walk on December 27, 2023, her bright spirit was tragically extinguished — due to a series of medical missteps that led to her preventable death.
A Mother’s Instinct Ignored
Lila’s mother, Rachael Mincherton, a nurse at Tameside General Hospital, noticed serious symptoms: headache, vomiting, lethargy, and neck pain — all red flags for meningitis. Despite her concerns, Lila was discharged with suspected tonsillitis after being assessed by multiple professionals.
“I felt reassured by them, to be honest,” Rachael told the BBC.
“She had quite a few infections before this… You don’t really not trust people when you work with them.”
The next morning, Rachael found Lila unresponsive. She called emergency services and attempted CPR — but it was too late.
“I knew she’d been dead for quite some time,” she recalled.
A Jury’s Verdict: Neglect
A post-mortem confirmed Lila died of pneumococcal meningitis — often treatable if caught early. The inquest found that “had Lila been admitted and given antibiotics within the first hour of triage, her death would have been prevented.” The jury ruled her death as “neglect.”
“We are now left with the devastating loss of our daughter for the rest of our lives,” said Rachael.
