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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Lynn Love & Ryan Merrifield

Girl, 5, collapses and dies without warning - and heartbroken parents have no idea why

A five-year-old girl died suddenly after collapsing at home, leaving her distraught family waiting for answers.

Isabella Grace Docherty, known as Bella, began being sick before collapsing and being rushed to hospital where she passed away.

Heartbroken mum Pamela Little, said her daughter's post-mortem came back inconclusive and she is now awaiting further test results.

The 38-year-old said Bella began feeling unwell and then started vomiting but the family believed it was just a sickness bug.

Pamela, from Newarthill, North Lanarkshire, said there were "no red flags whatsoever" and her little girl was still as feisty as ever, asking for a McDonald's.

Having struggled to sleep, her dad Brian brought her downstairs but she was sick again and collapsed at 4am on February 13.

Bella with her mum Pamela Little, 38, dad Brian Docherty, 36, brother Leon, 15, and sister Ellie, 13 (UGC)

"Paramedics and doctors did all they could but they couldn't save her," Pamela told the Daily Record.

Last year doctors discovered an abnormality on Bella's brain stem following an MRI scan.

However, Pamela and Brian were told this was not life threatening and said they do not believe it to have been connected with her death.

Recalling the moment Bella collapsed, her mum said: "Brian screamed at me to come down me. When I came in he was holding her in his arms.

Pamela and Brian with Bella after she was born (Hamilton Advertiser)

"I brushed her hair away from her face and my instincts told me she was gone.

"We phoned for an ambulance and did CPR, a neighbour came to help until paramedics came and after that, it's just a nightmare.

"I just remember seeing her face and realising something bad had happened."

Bella was taken to Wishaw General Hospital where she passed away.

Bella was taken to Wishaw University Hospital (Stuart Vance/ReachPlc)

Pamela added: "She has some issues with her brain, but nothing that we were told to be worried about.

"Her behaviour had suddenly changed after she had chicken pox last summer, so she had ct scans and an MRI and they had said there was an abnormality on her brain stem but it wasn't life threatening.

"Doctors said it could have been something she was born with.

"They didn't know exactly what it was and now they may never find out.

"She was due to go into the hospital last week as an in patient for some testing but unfortunately, suddenly, she's gone."

Pamela, who is also mum to Leon, 15, and Ellie, 13, said the family's world has been turned upside down by little Bella's death.

"We are absolutely broken. Bella was our funny, caring little diva and now we just want the world to know how amazing she was," she explained.

"Me and her dad are taking it hour by hour. The kids are devastated. Ellie saw everything so she's pretty traumatised. She shared a room with Bella so she's not came home yet."

A fundraising page has been set up to help pay for Bella's funeral.

To donate click here.

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