Lawyers secure settlement after Hyde girl dies following meningitis care failures

The family of a five-year-old girl who died from meningitis after hospital staff wrongly sent her home from hospital without potentially life-saving treatment have received a settlement.

Lila Marsland was taken to Tameside Hospital suffering a headache, sickness and neck pain by her concerned mum. Hospital bosses have since admitted that Lila had meningitis and should have remained in hospital and received intravenous antibiotics. However, she was diagnosed with tonsillitis and discharged with oral antibiotics.

Hours later, Lila’s mum, Rachael Mincherton, who at the time was a district nurse at Tameside Hospital, found her unresponsive in bed. Emergency services were called to the family home in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

However, Lila was pronounced dead shortly afterwards, just two weeks before her sixth birthday.

Family asks medical negligence lawyers to investigate Lila Marsland’s meningitis death

Following Lila’s death, Rachael, 37, instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her daughter’s care and help secure answers.

Rachael and partner Darren Marsland, 43, who also have a 16-year-old daughter, Ava, are now warning of the dangers of the infection. They are urging health professionals to be aware of its signs and symptoms.

It comes after Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Tameside Hospital, admitted failings in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Lila’s bacterial meningitis. It accepted that those failings materially contributed to her death.

The Trust has paid undisclosed compensation to the family.

Lawyer calls for lessons to be learned after Lila's meningitis death

Jack Bookey, the expert medical negligence solicitor at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, 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.”

Lila sent home from Tameside Hospital with suspected tonsillitis diagnosis

Rachael had taken Lila to hospital at about 5pm on 27 December, 2023. Rachael queried whether Lila could have meningitis. An advanced nurse practitioner suspected tonsillitis. However, Rachael was told blood tests would be taken.

Lila was given oral antibiotics and admitted to the Children’s Observation and Assessment Unit. Following further tests, the Flowery Field Primary School pupil was diagnosed with tonsillitis and discharged with oral antibiotics at around 2.40am on 28 December.

Rachael, who slept in the same bed as Lila because of her condition, awoke at around 9am to find her daughter unresponsive.

Hospital Trust admits failures to diagnose and treat meningitis

Following legal submissions by Irwin Mitchell, the Trust admitted that Lila had meningitis by the time she was assessed on the Children’s Observation and Assessment Unit. It also admitted there was a failure to adequately assess her and a failure to diagnose and treat her bacterial meningitis.

The Trust further accepted that Lila should have remained in hospital and been started on intravenous antibiotics, and that failings in her care materially contributed to her death.

Lila’s mum urges parents and medics to recognise meningitis symptoms

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.

“We’d urge parents to make themselves aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and to trust their instincts if they feel something isn’t right. However, medical staff also need to be aware of the dangers of meningitis and ensure patients receive the best care possible.

“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.

“Parents should never be afraid to ask questions or seek help or a second opinion if they’re concerned.

“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.”

The settlement follows a separate inquest into Lila’s death in June 2025 when jurors concluded that Lila died as a consequence of undiagnosed and therefore untreated pneumococcal meningitis and that her death was contributed to by neglect.

Lila’s Light charity supports bereaved siblings

Since Lila’s death, the family have established Lila’s Light, a charity aimed at supporting siblings who have lost a brother or sister through bereavement support packs and other projects in Lila’s memory. So far the family and well-wishers have raised £33,000.

More information on Lila’s Light can be found on the group’s Facebook and Instagram pages.