Doctors turned our bubbly daughter, 4, away twice and made us feel paranoid

LITTLE Bonnie Marsh was just four when she died, just days after developing what appeared to be a cold.

As she deteriorated, the tot from Dereham was rushed to hospital twice by her parents – but was sent home both times, leaving them feeling “paranoid” and like they were “overacting”.

Bonnie died at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) in December 2021, within days of first showing symptoms, after suffering a cardiac arrest, which is when the heart stops pumping blood.

An inquest into her death ruled she died from natural causes, specifically an inborn error of metabolism combined with a viral infection.

But her devastated parents said they do not accept that their daughter had a metabolic disorder.

Her mother, Lauren Marsh, walked out of the courtroom as the verdict was read, later telling the BBC she was frustrated by the ruling.

An inborn error of metabolism is a rare genetic condition that affects how the body turns food into energy, caused by faults in a single gene.

However, the court heard that genetic testing failed to show Bonnie had a known genetic disorder.

In a family statement, Bonnie’s parents said she “loved arts and crafts and painting” and described her as having a “huge personality for such a young girl”.

It all started on December 14, 2021, when Bonnie’s eyes appeared slightly swollen and looked full of a cold.

Lauren, 33, decided to keep her off school the next day, but two days later, the youngster worsened.

An ambulance was called after she vomited several times and fainted.

Bonnie was taken to the hospital’s A&E where she was later discharged with upper respiratory tract infection.

The following day, her dad Liam, also 33, took her back to the NNUH as he said she was “very unresponsive”.

The inquest at Norfolk Coroner’s Court heard that Bonnie was sick multiple times at the hospital.

She was discharged with gastroenteritis – also known as ‘stomach flu’ – after being given medication to stop her from vomiting.

On Saturday December 18, Bonnie was taken back to the NNUH by Lauren after she was sick during the night.

Lauren said she remembered saying her daughter was going to die as medical staff helped Bonnie.

Johanna Thompson, the area coroner, was told that Bonnie said “I want to go home”. She also resisted having a cannula being inserted before becoming seriously unwell.

Bonnie then had a seizure followed by a cardiac arrest and died.

Her parents said they had “no support at all from the hospital”.

This, they said, resulted in her family feeling “paranoid” or like they were “overreacting” to Bonnie’s condition.

The couple were originally told her cause of death was dehydration from norovirus but a post-mortem revealed she had Covid and the flu.

Over their first Christmas without their daughter, they received a call from Norfolk and Norwich Hospital to say Bonnie had a genetic condition which could have contributed to her death.

However Lauren said tests carried out by Addenbrookes, Great Ormond Street and a clinic in Germany returned negative.

As well as her parents, Bonnie also left behind her loving brother, Teddy, now 12, and their beloved dog, Coco.

Bernard Brett, the NNUH’s medical director, told the BBC: “Our heartfelt condolences remain with Bonnie’s family and our thoughts are with them as they relive this very painful time in their lives.

“We hope the conclusion of a full inquest provides the opportunity for closure and we recognise how difficult it has been for the family waiting for answers.”