Liam and Lauren Marsh are seeking answers about whether more could have been done to save their daughter, Bonnie, who died on December 18, 2021.

The hearing at Norfolk Coroner’s Court was told the little girl, who lived with her family on South Green in Dereham, had been taken to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N) on two occasions in the days before her death but was discharged both times.

Bonnie Marsh, from Dereham, who has died at the age of four. She is pictured with her dog, Coco (Image: Family)

Bonnie initially displayed cold-like symptoms, but her condition deteriorated and she began vomiting. At one stage she became unconscious.

She was assessed at the hospital on Thursday, December 16, and again on Friday, December 17. On both occasions staff determined she was well enough to return home after “showing no red flags”.

However, her condition worsened and she was taken back to the N&N on the morning of Saturday, December 18.

A few hours later, she died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

In a statement read to the court, Mrs Marsh described arriving at the ward and asking staff to help her daughter after a cleaner had assisted in carrying her in.

“We got on to the ward and I asked them to please help Bonnie. She was freezing cold and pale. I laid her on a bed,” she said.

“I was told she was very poorly, but that she would be okay.

“I was stroking Bonnie’s hair to make sure she knew I was there.”

She said Bonnie then suffered a seizure and she was “pulled” from the room.

Bonnie Marsh died in December 2021 (Image: Family)

“I stood up and screamed,” she said.

“I was praying for Bonnie to be okay. I was crying and asking what was going on.

“I then saw a load of doctors and nurses running past me to the room where Bonnie was.

“I said, ‘She is going to die.’ Liam and I just stood there shaking and crying.”

The couple were later informed their daughter had died.

Johanna Thompson, area coroner for Norfolk. (Image: Norfolk Coroner's Court)

The inquest heard that an interim death certificate recorded Bonnie’s cause of death as an “inborn error of metabolism”.

However, her parents said this conflicted with tests carried out at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Speaking at the inquest, Dr Ruchi Arora, who was involved with Bonnie's care at the N&N on that final day, described how "there is a lot of uncertainty" around identifying if Bonnie had a genetic disorder.

Norfolk Coroner's Court, at County Hall in Norwich. (Image: Newsquest)

The court was also told Bonnie’s death had initially been recorded as “Covid-related heart failure”. One examination found she had Covid, influenza and enterovirus.

Mrs Marsh said: “We were just sent home on each occasion, being told Bonnie just needed to eat.

“I feel like we were made to feel we were being paranoid about Bonnie’s health or crazy that we were overreacting."

The mother said: "Once we returned home, we had no contact from the hospital at all about what would happen to Bonnie.

"There was no after care for her at all. It feels like we've been left in limbo about what happened to Bonnie.

"I'm disgusted at the way we treated by the hospital."

Parents recall ‘devastating’ moment daughter, four, died after N&N hospital discharge (Image: Family)

Following Bonnie’s death, a spokeswoman for the N&N said at the time that the trust offered its condolences to the family and confirmed that “a full and thorough review took place”.

Bonnie left behind her parents, brother Teddy and the family’s dog, Coco.

The inquest continues.

'SHE LOVED HER FAMILY MORE THAN ANYTHING'

Paying tribute to her daughter, Mrs Marsh read a pen portrait to the court in an act she described as "the final thing" she could do for her.

She said: “Bonnie grew up very quickly and was always extremely active, wanting to try new things and to be involved in everything. Bonnie had a love for life and was popular at school.

“She was a caring, loving little chickadee with a cheeky and playful side, always happy, funny and making everybody laugh, with a hint of sassiness.

Bonnie Marsh died in December 2021 (Image: Family)

“She brightened every room she walked into — everyone always commented on it.

“Bonnie loved her family more than anything.

“Bonnie was a beautiful, cheeky little ray of sunshine with the most beautiful smile and the brightest eyes. She had a huge personality for such a young girl and was the light of our family’s life.

“She was never happier than when she was with her family. We all miss her so much.”

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