A year after the tragic death of a sports-mad 11-year-old just hours after being discharged from hospital, a coroner has heard of concerns about his treatment.
A preliminary inquest hearing was told yesterday of several issues raised in a report about the death of Stephen McElroy, from Ballyward near Castlewellan.
They include an alleged failure to diagnose the schoolboy's condition correctly at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, and a delay in placing him in a cubicle in the A&E department when he arrived a second time.
The coroner's court was also told that had a 'middle grade' doctor been available they may have been able to diagnose the fatal condition.
The popular P7 pupil collapsed and died at Daisy Hill's A&E department on Sunday March 29 2015, six hours after he had previously been discharged.
He had been at St Mary's Primary School, Dechomet on Friday where he appeared 'fit and well' but was brought to hospital after feeling too ill to play football on Saturday.
Stephen had gained an ‘A’ in his transfer test and was expecting to start St Colman’s College in Newry last September.
His parents Patti and Paul set up the Stephen McElroy Appreciation and Remembrance Team (Smart) in recognition of his love of Gaelic football, soccer and rugby, and runners will be taking part in the Belfast City Marathon on Monday in support of the charity.
A pathologist listed the causes of death as small bowel infarction, pneumonia and intra-abdominal adhesions, with the coroner hearing a root cause analysis report also cited ischemic enterocolitis as a possible contributory factor.
Barrister Thomas Fitzpatrick said Stephen's mother Patti would like to know whether a twist of the bowel suffered while swimming two days earlier could have contributed to his death.
Previous bowel surgery was also mentioned as a possible factor.
Mr Fitzpatrick asked that an independent medical expert be brought to the full inquest later this year, but coroner Joe McCrisken said his office had "limited resources" and he would only consider this if deemed necessary.
Speaking to the family, the coroner said he wanted to "achieve a full, very fair inquiry" and answer as many questions as he could.
He added however that there were some questions they may not get answers to and that "no-one will be held accountable by this process".
Asked if there were civil proceedings in relation to the matter, Mr Fitzpatrick replied: "Not as yet".
"If mistakes are made it is important another family doesn't go through what you have gone through," Mr McCriskin said.
