'Hospital lied to us from the start over death of our baby..'

Parents’ eight-year battle over after tot’s heart pierced in medical blunder

- AODHAN O FAOLAIN

THE parents of a baby girl whose heart was accidentally pierced during a hospital chest drain procedure told a judge they were "lied to from the start" as they settled a High Court action over her death.

Laoise Kavanagh Ni Scolai, who was a twin, was 42 hours and 27 minutes old when she died eight years ago.

The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, admitted liability in the case.

Her father Coilin O'Scolai revealed the "long and arduous legal battle to uncover the truth".

He told Mr Justice Paul Coffey: "This has been a very long and painful journey that could have been avoided.

"Something needs to change. We were lied to from the moment Laoise died and continued to be lied to for many years after her death.

"In our opinion they cared about Laoise until the moment she died, then they cared more about the reputation of The Coombe Hospital.

Mr O'Scolai said for the next number of weeks, months and years Laoise's life history was changed.