Fresh inquest ordered into Cavan girl's death

A fresh inquest has been ordered into the death of a nine-year-old Cavan girl who died three weeks after an appendix operation…

A fresh inquest has been ordered into the death of a nine-year-old Cavan girl who died three weeks after an appendix operation at Cavan General Hospital in 2004.

The Attorney General has ordered a second inquest into the death of Frances Sheridan, from Cootehill who died on February 1st 2004.

The jury at the original inquest held in December of last year found she died of natural causes.

The girl's parents, Brian and Rosemary, were said to be distraught at the outcome.

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The original inquest heard that Frances was sent by her GP to Cavan hospital on January 30th 2004, having presented with abdominal pain three weeks after her operation.

A doctor ordered X-rays which were normal and the child was sent home. She collapsed and died 36 hours later.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy said Frances died from complications of recent surgery. She said adhesions, which were normal, developed after her operation but they formed a loop through which segments of her bowel could slide in and out.

The child's bowel became trapped in the loop and blocked, causing the child to vomit. She choked on her vomit.

The permanent entrapment of the bowel would only have happened "a few hours" before death, Dr Cassidy said.