Mother 'not optimistic' that inquiry will provide answers

Marie Ferguson was speaking just days from what would have been daughter Raychel's 18th birthday.

She said: "We should be planning a big celebration next week instead we will be going to a cemetery."

In June 2001 9-year-old Raychel was taken in to Altnagelvin Hospital for what should have been a routine operation to remove her appendix. Two days later she was dead and her parents say they have still not been told the truth as to how their daughter died.

This week, Ray, Raychel's father recalled what happened on the day in question. He said: "Raychel had her operation on Thursday night and by Friday morning she was up and about again. But she kept throwing up all morning and when we questioned the staff about this we were told that this was normal.

"At around noon she went back to bed and she never really spoke after that. Later her face was blazing red and they gave her a jag to stop her throwing up but she just kept on being sick. Then she started throwing up blood and I had to lift her out of the bed so they could change it because she was not able to do it herself.

"What we didn't know was that we were sitting there watching our daughter die in front of our eyes."

Marie said: "Almost as soon as Raychel died they started telling us stories and ever since then we have had one obstacle after another put in front of us.

"They told us that Raychel had died of something really complicated and serious when it turns out she died because she was given the wrong fluids, she died of dehydration. A simple blood test or urine test would have established what was wrong but they never did one.

"One doctor told us that up until about nine on that Friday night it would have been straightforward enough to save Raychel. All she needed was a proper drip and she would have lived but they gave her the wrong drip."

She went on: "We had a meeting with the hospital authorities in September 2001 months after Raychel's death and they told us then they did not know how she had died but in fact they knew days after her death."

An inquiry under John O'Hara QC has been ordered into Raychel's, Lucy and another death, that of Adam Strain, and it is hoped to begin proper hearings later this year.

Marie Ferguson said: "If they had known at Altnagelvin about Lucy's death then maybe they would have realised what was happening and Raychel would have been saved."