Marissa Laimou, a 28-year-old Greek shipping heiress, was found dead in her London flat on September 11, days after being turned away from a hospital. Her mother, Bessy, told Greek media that toxic shock from an insect bite caused her death.
Ms Laimou began feeling unwell on September 8 with dizziness, itching, fever and other signs of infection. A home-visit doctor prescribed paracetamol, but her condition worsened. She later visited a London hospital and saw her oncologist, who arranged for her transfer by ambulance to another hospital. However, family and friends said nurses examined her and concluded she did not need admission. She was discharged with antibiotics and a diagnosis of an insect bite.
Her mother said: 'My daughter had survived cancer and died from an insect.' The hospital has reportedly admitted a serious mistake and opened an internal investigation. A post-mortem is pending.
Ms Laimou had recently produced a play in London and was preparing another. She was described as talented and devoted to the arts after surviving breast cancer. The Laimos family are prominent Greek shipowners.
