A six year old girl tragically passed away less than three hours after being discharged from hospital. Shen’iyah Green, from Enfield, north London, was taken to A&E on 11 January 2019, with symptoms including shortness of breath, fever, vomiting, and pain in her right leg.
Her mother Shanieka claims she repeatedly informed doctors that her daughter had sickle cell disease. However, she alleges that medics failed to recognise the connection with her symptoms and misdiagnosed her as having gastroenteritis.
Despite her doubts, Shanieka says she asked for further tests – but they assured her that her daughter was “fine” and discharged her, it is claimed. By 8pm, less than three hours later, Shen’iyah had tragically died. Her heartbroken mum believes her little girl was effectively “sent home to die”.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) in the UK is a significant inherited blood condition that impacts red blood cells, making them stiff and sickle-shaped. This alteration can obstruct blood vessels, leading to painful episodes, anaemia, and an increased likelihood of infections and strokes.
Earlier this month, a distressing inquest concluded that neglect by the NHS Trust hospital in Greater London had contributed to Shen’iyah’s death. Now, her family is seeking answers about what happened – in the hope that no one else has to endure the same fate, reports the Mirror.
Shanieka, who has been diagnosed with PTSD following her daughter’s death, said: “This was wholly avoidable. Shen’iyah was only six years old and deserved so much better than being sent home to die. She had sickle cell disease which meant she should be treated under specialist sickle cell protocols – but this did not happen and she has paid the ultimate price.
“She did not receive the care she needed and deserved. I know my daughter better than anyone and I was not listened to. I asked for blood tests, I asked for a second opinion, I repeatedly raised my concerns that something was badly wrong. But I was told she was fine and to go home. She fell asleep on the car journey home and never woke up again.”
When Shen’iyah fell asleep in the car Shanieka frantically tried to perform CPR. Paramedics battled to resuscitate her for roughly an hour and the six year old was rushed back to hospital. Heartbreakingly, their efforts ultimately proved futile.
Shanieka said: “When Shen’iyah was rushed back to hospital, the same triage nurse and doctor were there who had seen her earlier that day. This made me very angry. Why didn’t they listen to me earlier when I begged them to?”
North London Coroner’s Court was told that three crucial mistakes led to Shen’iyah’s death. These comprised the failure to take a blood sample, the failure to record the cause of abdominal tenderness, and the failure to admit her to hospital, according to SWNS. Medical staff also failed to consider the complications of Shen’iyah’s sickle cell disease – despite it being clearly recorded in her medical files and Shanieka continually highlighting it.
Shen’iyah even carried an NHS ‘pink passport’ – a tailored document that gives healthcare professionals with vital information about a patient’s requirements. An NHS serious Incident report highlighted that Shen’iyah’s observations “were not completely within normal limits” and “more information was needed” before discharging her.
The cause of death for Shen’iyah was listed as splenic sequestration. This is a rare but recognised complication of sickle cell disease where red blood cells become trapped in the spleen, causing enlargement and reduced blood volume.
The report acknowledged this is “a rare diagnosis for a six-year-old child with sickle cell disease and therefore may not have been considered” – but said it may have been picked up if the child was in hospital. Shanieka, a mother of four, says she continues to be haunted by the fact that she was allegedly not listened to by doctors.
She said: “I do not want another family ever to go through an ordeal like this: to feel such unbearable pain and to be haunted by the memories of having to do CPR on your dying daughter – having been assured only shortly before that she was fine and well enough to go home. Families need to be listened to and their fears and concerns for their child taken seriously.
“Children must also receive the care that is right for them, particularly in cases where they have specific medical conditions which warrant specialist attention. There can be no excuses for Shen’iyah’s death – but we only hope that lessons are learned from it so this can never, ever happen to another child.”
A spokesperson for the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust expressed: “We would like to extend our deepest condolences to Shen’iyah Green’s family and to express how profoundly sorry we are that she died after being discharged from hospital.
“Following Sheni’yah’s death in 2019, we carried out a full investigation and have since introduced a number of improvements to the care provided to children with sickle cell disease. This includes ensuring all patients receive a full blood count test and a complete set of observations before being discharged home.”
