Agonising moment mum of Croydon girl Melody Driscoll, 11, carries her ashes into inquest
| Date | 01 April 2021 |
| Published date | 01 April 2021 |
| Publication title | MyLondon (England) |
The 11-year-old, who had a “complicated medical history” died at King’s College Hospital KCH in South London in July 2018. It followed Melody Driscoll: Croydon girl, 11, ‘sometimes suffered pain’ during treatment, inquest told including a rare, life-limiting neurological disorder called Rett syndrome.
The Croydon girl hit the headlines in 2016 when she was visited by Ed Sheeran, who made a 90-minute visit to her bedside at Epsom Hospital in Surrey during which he sang hits including Photograph and tuned her guitar.
Melody’s mother Karina Driscoll and her stepfather Nigel had alleged KCH medics’ actions reduced Melody’s quality of life and contributed to her death, including by improperly reducing her pain and steroid medications.
Coroner Dr Julian Morris, speaking at the conclusion of the inquest into the circumstances of Melody’s death at London’s Southwark Coroner’s Court, said she died after suffering post-operative complications following the development of gallstones and a bowel perforation.
He gave a narrative conclusion due to the complexities of the case and said the “nub of the inquest” was a 3mm gallstone.
Rett’s syndrome was a factor but not a cause of her death, he added.
Her parents brought her ashes to hearing in a yellow box with Melody’s name written on the front of it.
They placed it in front of them on a desk as they quietly leaned on each other with their heads together as the coroner delivered his conclusions.
The coroner said he did not believe that the action of weaning Melody off her medication contributed to her death.
Dr Morris apologised to the family for the length of time it had taken for the inquest to take place, adding that he passed on condolences which were “very sincerely felt” by everyone who had been involved in the hearing.
He told the parents he hope they may be able to “move on in some small way” now they had listened to the evidence during the three-day hearing.
The coroner said there was no need to write a report to prevent future deaths in light of this case.
'She was not ready to go'
After the inquest, Mrs Driscoll and her husband said they had felt they had been branded as “problematic parents for try trying to do the best for their daughter”.
Mrs Driscoll, who said the couple were still considering whether they could take legal action, added: “We had to say...
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