Public inquiry opens into children's deaths

A public inquiry into the sudden deaths of three children after routine treatment in hospitals in the North is opening today.

The inquiry was set up by the British government after a television programme alleged the children died needlessly from a shortage of sodium in the body.

Inquiry chairman, John O’Hara, QC, is holding a preliminary two-day hearing in Belfast into the deaths of Raychel Ferguson, nine, 17-month-old Lucy Crawford and Adam Strain, four.

Raychel died in June 2001 at the Royal Victoria Hospital where she was transferred following what should have been a routine appendix operation at the Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

Lucy was also pronounced dead at the RVH after being transferred from the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh where she had been treated in April 2000.

Adam died after a kidney transplant in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in November 1995.

All three are alleged to have been given either the wrong fluids or fluids at too high a dosage, which caused them to develop hyponatraemia, a shortage of sodium in the body.

It is further alleged that the death of Lucy was covered up.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland is carrying out an investigation into Lucy's death and last month wrote to Mr O’Hara requesting that the part of his inquiry dealing with her be postponed.

They expressed the fear the public hearings could compromise their investigations. It is understood a file is due to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions by April for a decision on whether there should indeed be prosecutions.

Mr O’Hara, a senior barrister who headed up an inquiry into the retention of human organs in the North, will make an opening statement today in which he is expected to say whether he intends to go ahead with the full inquiry, omit evidence on Lucy or postpone the entire exercise until after the legal process is completed.

When the inquiry was announced by the North's Health Minister Angela Smith last year, she said she hoped for a report by June.

Mr O’Hara has already admitted there may be some slippage in the time scale.

Apart from Mr O’Hara’s statement, the initial two-day hearing is expected to be taken up with discussion on written submissions, how the inquiry will be conducted and whether the families of the dead children will be individually legally represented or rely on council to the inquiry to question witnesses.