Girl, 12, who died after falling ill on holiday due to see GP when she got home

14 March 2024 , 17:08

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Gemma Caffrey, 12, died after suffering a brain haemorrhage while on holiday in Northumberland (Image: Alison Caffrey)

A 12-year-old girl tragically died after falling ill on a family holiday in Northumberland.

An inquest heard that Gemma had been suffering from headaches that woke her up at night before the trip. Her mum, Alison, had arranged a doctor's appointment for when they returned home to Hamilton, Lanarkshire. However, Gemma's condition worsened on October 11, 2021.

She was rushed to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in Cramlington and then transferred to the Great North Children's Hospital at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI). She was later admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Sadly, Gemma's death was confirmed on October 25, 2021.

Assistant Coroner Karen Dilks was told that Gemma suffered seizures while in hospital. A decision was made for her to undergo a craniectomy, a surgery to remove part of her skull to relieve pressure on her brain, reports Chronicle Live.

After the operation, she was moved to intensive care, where she sadly suffered a cardiac arrest in the days following the procedure.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

Pathologist Colin Saysell told the court in Newcastle that he examined Gemma on October 28 and found that she died from a severe and irreversible brain injury caused by Venous Sinus Thrombosis (VST) - clots forming in the vessels that take blood from the head. However, he couldn't find out what caused the VST. The inquest continues.

Ryan Fahey