Ryleigh Hillcoat-Bee, a vibrant three-year-old, tragically passed away due to a rare illness that went undiagnosed despite multiple visits to the hospital. Her heart-wrenching story reveals a series of missed opportunities in her medical care, leaving her family and community devastated.
During a family vacation in North Wales, Ryleigh fell ill and was taken to the hospital, displaying symptoms of a severe muscle problem and rhabdomyolysis. Despite these red flags, she was sent home, only to return three months later in critical condition, suffering a heart attack and ultimately passing away.
The coroner’s inquest revealed several missed opportunities to diagnose and treat Ryleigh’s condition, including a failure to seek specialist advice. Had this been done, her death could have been prevented. Ryleigh’s parents, Caroline and Andrew, are now seeking answers and justice, believing that their daughter’s death was preventable.
In memory of Ryleigh, her aunt Katie Hobbs raised over £3,000 for The Compassionate Friends, a charity supporting bereaved parents. Ryleigh’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilant medical care and the devastating consequences of missed opportunities.
The hospital trust has acknowledged the tragedy and pledged to learn from the incident, ensuring that such a heartbreak never happens again.
