Mum in limbo after daughter's death, court told

The mother of a four-year-old who died in hospital says she has been "left in limbo" waiting for answers regarding her daughter's death, an inquest has heard.

Bonnie Marsh, from Dereham, died at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) in December 2021.

An inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court was told she was twice taken to the hospital in the two days before her death, with symptoms including vomiting and fainting.

Her mother, Lauren Marsh, said she felt she had received "no support at all from the hospital" which resulted in her family feeling "paranoid" or like they were "overacting".

In a statement read to the court, Marsh said Bonnie "brightened every room she walked into".

Initially, the youngster had symptoms of a common cold, including puffy eyes and had gone off her food.

Her school advised her mother to order her a Covid-19 test. It turned up the day Bonnie died.

On 16 December, two days prior to her death, an ambulance was called after she vomited several times and fainted.

She was taken to the hospital's A&E where she was later discharged with upper respiratory tract infection, which is often caused by or associated with the common cold.

The following day, her father Liam Marsh took her back to the NNUH as he said she was "very unresponsive".

Area coroner Johanna Thompson heard that Bonnie was sick multiple times at the hospital.

But she was discharged with gastroenteritis, after having eaten and drunk fluids.

Dr Mona Goda, a trainee general practitioner, who treated Bonnie on both days, said there "wasn't reason for any admission" following observations.

On Saturday 18 December, Bonnie was taken back to the NNUH by her mother after she was sick during the night.

Lauren Marsh said she remembered saying her daughter was going to die as medical staff helped Bonnie.

The four-year-old had a seizure and died shortly after, the inquest heard.

In a family statement, her parents said she "loved arts and crafts and painting" and described her as having a "huge personality for such a young girl".

The inquest is due to resume on Tuesday.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.