Parents who found daughter, 10, dead on the sofa one day after ‘tummy bug’ pay tribute to their ‘beautiful shining star’
PARENTS who found their daughter dead just hours after a suspected tummy bug have paid tribute to their “beautiful shining star”.
Devastated Eddie and Debbie Morrison discovered 10-year-old Shaylisha unresponsive on the sofa at home on May 30.
Only the day before, she had complained of feeling sick and having diarrhoea.
Debbie, 47, said: “You were the jewel in our hearts; you were loved in every way.”
Shaylisha and her “inseparable” twin Chardonnay, from Bury, Greater Manchester, had suffered from constipation from birth.
Debbie said she diligently reported their symptoms to doctors, but was simply told to “give them plenty of fruit, vegetables and water”.
During their latest flare-up, Shaylisha had been battling sickness and diarrhoea, her mum said.
The following day, on May 30, she was found dead on the sofa by Eddie, 45.
Her sister was admitted to hospital with similar symptoms just four days later, but she is now responding well to treatment, Debbie said.
Shaylisha’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but her family have been told it was likely “bowel complications”.
The youngster was laid to rest in a horse-drawn carriage at Bury Cemetery on June 28.
Her coffin was pink and decorated with characters from Disney‘s Frozen, and How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding was played.
Debbie also shared a heartbreaking poem dedicated to her little girl.
She said: “There’s a place inside our hearts that only you can fill.
“Now you’re gone, you’re sorely missed each and every day.
“We love you princess, sleep tight, fly high. Shine bright my beautiful shining star.”
While facing an agonising wait for answers, Debbie says she wishes that doctors had taken her previous health concerns about her daughters more seriously.
“They both suffered with constipation since birth,” she added.
“We kept telling the authorities and professionals that something wasn’t right but all they kept telling us was, ‘This is normal for premature babies’ and to just keep giving them plenty of water and fruit and veg. This has been going on for 10 years.
“No one has listened to us, and it’s taken one of my daughters to pass away and for her twin sister to end up in hospital with exactly the same thing.”
Maybe this could have been dealt with years ago and this horrendous ordeal would have been prevented
Debbie Morrison
Debbie, who is in training to be a hairdresser, said Shaylisha’s passing had been felt particularly hard by Chardonnay.
“They were both inseparable, they were best friends and did everything together,” she said.
“They were both happy, bubbly girls, always smiling and there was never a dull moment, they were just always happy.”
Debbie is now urging parents of children who may have bowel issues to get them checked as soon as possible.
Debbie added: “Me and my husband put our faith in the health visitors, school nurses and the GPs as they are the professionals.
“No one ever said that they would refer them to the hospital for scans or X-rays, which should have been done.
“Maybe this could have been dealt with years ago and this horrendous ordeal would have been prevented.”
Paying tribute to Shaylisha, the vicar said she had been a “shining star” for her parents.
“Her smile brought a smile to the faces of everyone who met her,” he added.
“She had a streak of creativity which ran through her, and she loved art and was very artistic in many ways.
“She loved horses and loved to see them on her way to school.
“She was a shining star for Debbie and Eddie, and for her brothers and sisters.”
An inquest into Shaylisha’s death opened at Rochdale Coroner’s Court, with a review date set for September 30.
At the brief hearing, police coroner’s officer Paul Lever confirmed that she had been ill and her father found her dead on the sofa at home on the evening of May 30.
Debbie is now raising money through GoFundMe to help pay for a headstone for Shaylisha.
Red flags to look out for in your child
Infections, like colds and flu, and tummy bugs that cause diarrhoea and vomiting, are very common in babies and children.
Thankfully, most will make a full recovery without needing treatment.
However, you should phone 999 or go to A&E if they:
- Stop breathing or have pauses in their breathing
- Have severe difficulty breathing, such as grunting or noisy breathing
- Look seriously unwell – e.g. they are very pale, grey, or white, or have mottling (pale patchy skin with a purple tinge) on their arms, legs or body
- Aren’t showing a normal colour of skin, lips and tongue – e.g. very pale, blue or purple
- Aren’t awake and can’t be wakened, or are very difficult to waken
- Are breathing very rapidly, even when resting and when not upset or crying
- Vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee
- Have yellow-green or green vomit
- May have swallowed something poisonous
- Have a stiff neck and pain when looking at bright lights
- Have a sudden, severe headache
- Have a sudden, severe stomach ache
- Are confused or not responding as usual
Ultimately, you know your child best. Always trust your instincts and seek urgent medical help if you think there’s an emergency.
Source: NHS