Lila Marsland, just weeks away from her sixth birthday, was found unresponsive beside her mother, Rachel, 36. When Rachel woke up and realized her daughter wasn’t breathing, she called paramedics—but Lila had already been dead for several hours.

“They gave her CPR, but it was too late,” Rachel told Manchester Evening News. “It’s horrendous. I still can’t believe it’s happened.” Lila, known for her red hair and bubbly personality, was described as “the nicest child ever” by her mother. She attended Flowery Field Primary School in Hyde and had many friends.

Tragically, Lila died on December 28, 2023. Her funeral, held a month later, was attended by the entire school community. “It was a nice send-off,” Rachel said. “We had a horse and carriage, and the church was packed.”

However, mystery surrounds her sudden passing. An inquest was opened in October 2024 at Stockport Coroners Court. Troubling details emerged: original copies of Lila’s medical notes from the weeks before her death were reportedly “misplaced.”

One missing record referred to an October 8 assessment. Though there was a paracetamol prescription noted, indicating she was seen by a senior practitioner, there was no corresponding entry in the provided documentation.

Area Coroner Chris Morris called this a “serious matter” and ordered a full search for the original notes. The inquest will now include a jury and span eight days—unusually long for a child death.

Rachel and her family remain devastated and without answers, unable to properly grieve until the truth is known.