The family of a five-year-old girl who died hours after being sent home from hospital despite her mum fearing she had meningitis have received an NHS payout. Lila Marsland was taken to hospital suffering a headache, sickness, and neck pain after her worried mum raised concerns she could have the potentially deadly infection.
But the youngster was diagnosed with tonsillitis and discharged with oral antibiotics. Hours later, devastated mum Rachael Mincherton, who was a district nurse, woke to find her daughter unresponsive in bed at the family's home in Hyde, Greater Manchester. Paramedics rushed to the scene but Lila was pronounced dead shortly afterwards, just two weeks before her sixth birthday.
Family's tribute to Lila
Paying tribute to her daughter, Rachael said: "Losing Lila is something we'll never come to terms with. She was the most amazing and adorable little girl. She was kind, caring and full of life. She loved dancing, cheerleading and spending time with family and friends. Everybody who met her adored her."
"Lila had her whole life ahead of her and it's heartbreaking to think about everything she's missed and all of the memories we've been denied as a family. Nothing will ever bring Lila back, but having answers regarding what happened to her is important to us," she added.
Trust admits failings
Now Rachael and partner Darren Marsland have received compensation after Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust admitted failings in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Lila's bacterial meningitis. The Trust accepted those failings materially contributed to her death and paid the family an undisclosed sum.
Rachael added: "It breaks our hearts to know Lila didn't receive the care she should have and that, when she needed help most, she was badly let down."
Details of the case
The tragic case dates back to December 27, 2023, when Rachael took Lila, who attended Flowery Field Primary School, to Tameside Hospital at around 5pm. An advanced nurse practitioner suspected tonsillitis after Rachael questioned whether her daughter could have meningitis and was told blood tests would be taken.
Lila was later admitted to the Children's Observation and Assessment Unit before being diagnosed with tonsillitis and discharged with oral antibiotics at around 2.40am on December 28. But after sleeping alongside her sick daughter, Rachael awoke at around 9am to find her unresponsive.
Following legal action by medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, the Trust admitted Lila had meningitis by the time she was assessed on the Children's Observation and Assessment Unit. It further accepted there had been a failure to adequately assess her, diagnose the condition and provide appropriate treatment. The Trust admitted Lila should have remained in hospital and been started on intravenous antibiotics.
Family's call to other parents
Rachael and Darren, who also have a 16-year-old daughter, Ava, are sharing their story to urge other parents to demand more from doctors when they sense something is amiss. "Parents should never be afraid to ask questions or seek help or a second opinion if they're concerned," Rachael said. "We miss Lila every single day and always will. However, if by speaking out we can help prevent what happened to Lila happening to someone else then her death may not have been totally in vain."
An inquest in June 2025 concluded that Lila died as a consequence of undiagnosed and therefore untreated pneumococcal meningitis and that her death was contributed to by neglect. The family's lawyer, Jack Bookey, said: "Rachael, Darren and the rest of their family remain devastated by Lila's death and continue to live with the consequences of losing her every day. While nothing can change what happened, the admissions made by the Trust provide important answers regarding the care Lila received in the hours before her death."
"One of the most difficult things for the family is knowing that Rachael recognised her daughter was seriously unwell and did exactly what any parent would do by seeking medical help. By sharing Lila's story, they hope greater awareness can be raised of meningitis and that lessons continue to be learned to help reduce the risk of other families experiencing a similar tragedy," Bookey added.
A Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "We are pleased that this settlement has been reached and approved by the court. This was a tragic case in which there were clear missed opportunities in Lila's care. We express once more our sincere and unreserved apologies to the Lila's family for this tragedy. As a Trust, we have made and will continue to make improvements to ensure we learn from this case."
Since losing their daughter, the family have set up Lila's Light, a charity supporting siblings who have lost a brother or sister through bereavement support packs and other projects in her memory. So far, the family and supporters have raised £33,000.
