A 13-month-old baby died of pneumonia - after twice being sent away from Medway Maritime Hospital. Little Alisha Leonie was rushed to the children's ward twice in the past week by parents Philip Moorcroft and Kerry-Anne Gregory but they claim they were told both times there was nothing seriously wrong.

Less than a week after being turned away the last time, Alisha is dead. Now her heartbroken parents of Carpeaux Close, Chatham, are vowing to sue the hospital, claiming their daughter would still be alive if staff had listened to them and carried out tests.

A spokesman for Medway Maritime Hospital said: "The trust was saddened to learn of Alisha's death and extends its condolences and sympathy to her parents and family on their loss. We were concerned to learn that Mr and Moorcroft and Ms Gregory are unhappy about Medway Maritime Hospital.

"If they wish to make direct contact with the trust we will ensure their concerns are fully investigated."

Alisha died on Wednesday of pneumonia and kidney failure at Guy's Hospital in London. Her parents were at her bedside. The couple first noticed their baby was seriously ill on Wednesday, January 9. She had a high temperature and looked very weak.

Realising her condition was deteriorating, they decided to rush her immediately into the children's ward.

Father Philip, 35, said: "We knew it was more serious than a trip to the doctors. When it is your child you just know." But they say at the hospital Alisha was given no blood tests or X-rays. Instead, doctors said she had a temperature, and she was discharged the next day with a course of over-the-counter medicine to lower her temperature.

Throughout the next few days they watched their baby getting steadily worse. She started to turn yellow and began wheezing. They took her back to the hospital on Saturday, January 12, but were once again told she just had a virus. By Monday, January 14, they decided they could no longer sit back and see her getting increasingly sick. She was lifeless and unresponsive.

An ambulance took her back to Medway Maritime. There she was given a blood test and a chest X-ray and it was decided to rush her to Guy'ss. The X-rays revealed her kidneys had stopped working and she had pneumonia. She eventually died at 2.15pm on Wednesday.

Philip said: "If they had done these tests sooner, Alisha might still be here. We want to sue the hospital. It's not about the money. We just want to make sure it never ever happens to any other parents. We have lost a baby who, if she had been diagnosed earlier, might still be alive."