12-Year-Old Girl Died Of A Stroke After Doctors Denied Mother’s Repeated Request For A Scan

An inquest was informed that the death of a young girl who died of a stroke could have been prevented. This was if doctors would have listened to ‘persistent’ requests by her mother for a scan. It was later found that the girl died from bleeding on the brain.

12-year-old Victoria Olabode experienced continuous headaches that were severe and experienced vomiting. Her mother pleaded for three days for a CT scan to be done.

On July 2, 2019, Victoria was placed in the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, in the UK, for ‘sickle crisis.’ This is when sickle cells stop blood flow.

On July 5, Victoria experienced the headache and illness and kept losing consciousness. However, it wasn’t until July 8 that doctors concurred and decided to have a scan done on the young girl. The scan showed signs of hemorrhage.

‘If the diagnosis had been made between the evening of July 5 and early on July 8, then I think appropriate preventative strategies as I have set out in the report would have meant that on the balance of probabilities, Victoria wouldn’t have died,’ said one expert witness, Professor Fenella Kirkham.

The CT and MRI scans were performed on July 8 and 9. However, by then, Victoria’s condition had worsened. On July 12, 2019, she died after suffering from a stroke.

Many experts noted that had the scans been performed on July 5 and 6, a brain bleed would have been detected. In that case, Victoria would have been placed in ICU. Then, a neurologist would have been contacted. Additionally, a blood transfusion would have taken place, as well, instead of on July 9 when it was done.

A 2020 internal report by the hospital found that Mrs. Olabode had ongoing concerns which is why she requested a scan. But, her concerns were ‘inappropriately dismissed.’ It vowed that ‘lessons would be learned.’

Victoria’s parents expressed their anger in court. This comes after dealing with legal matters for five years. They want someone to be held accountable for her death and stated that they will continue to protest outside of the hospital, fearing court proceedings will be delayed again.

The hearing is continuing as of now.