A COUPLE who complained their 13-month daughter died after being sent away from Medway Maritime Hospital have been told the baby's death was caused by a "rare and unpredictable complication."

Philip Moorcroft and Kerry-Anne Gregory, of Carpeaux Close, Chatham, believe their daughter, Alisha Leonie, should have been given blood tests or X-rays at the hospital.

Alisha later died at Guy's Hospital in London.

It was reported in last Friday's Medway Messenger that the baby was twice sent away from Medway Maritime Hospital. In fact, the baby was first seen by an emergency locum the couple called to their house. They were told the baby probably had just a cold.

Next day, they took Alisha to the children's ward at Medway Maritime Hospital, in Gillingham. She was kept in overnight and discharged the next day with a prescription of over-the-counter medicines to lower her temperature.

But by Saturday, January 12, she had started to get worse. Her parents once again called out the emergency locum. But, for a second time, they were told not to worry.

Finally, when they baby became unresponsive and increasingly lifeless they called an ambulance and she was rushed back to the hospital on Monday, January 14. This time she was given tests and X-rays. The X-rays revealed her kidneys had stopped working and she had pneumonia. At 2.15am the next day she was rushed to Guy's Hospital. She died at 2.15pm on Wednesday.

Jacqueline Geoghegan, Medway's director of nursing, said: "The Medway NHS Trust was saddened to learn of Alisha's death and extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to her family on their tragic loss.

"Baby Alisha was admitted to the Medway Maritime Hospital on January 9. She was observed overnight before being discharged home on January 10, after her high temperature had subsided. Alisha was next seen at the hospital during the afternoon of January 14 and was subsequently transferred to Guy's Hospital at 2am on January 15. Sadly, Alisha died on Januiary 16.

"We have reviewed the treatment given to Alisha on her first admission to Medway Maritime Hospital and believe that she was appropriately treated, with relevant testing and medication, for the signs and symptoms she displayed. We understand from Guy's Hospital that Alisha died from a rare and unpredictable complication of a common childhood respiratory infection. Our sympathies are with the family and I will be contacting them to fully discuss any concerns that they have about Alisha's treatment at Medway Maritime Hospital."