Daily Post
LIVERPOOL, England — An asthmatic Liverpool student lay dying yards from the Royal’s A&E department after a hospital receptionist told her friend she must phone an ambulance for treatment.
Melody Davis, 20, was driven to the Royal, but the car got stuck in a car park on nearby Mount Vernon Street because a barrier was blocking the way.
Her friend rushed into the reception area on foot for help as Miss Davis’ asthma attack worsened, but was told to call an ambulance.
By the time she returned to the car, the Liverpool University student had collapsed.
She later died at the Royal. Liverpool’s coroner, Andre Rebello, asked Merseyside Police to investigate the incident because of the chance more prompt treatment may have saved her.
Today her tutors paid tribute to the “inspirational” English literature student.
A spokeswoman for the university said: “The university was greatly saddened by Melody’s death. Melody had been here for just over two years, studying English and American literature.
“She was a highly individual student. “In class she was wonderfully animated and articulate, and other members of her group found her liveliness hugely inspiring.”
Hospital board papers have revealed the coroner’s concerns.
They read: “The coroner questioned the decision to telephone for an ambulance and although the cause of death was a natural cause, he is unsure whether or not she would have survived if assistance had been given when first requested.”
Ms Davis grew up in California and moved to Liverpool to study.
She was one of five children, and during her teenage years visited Mexico, Brazil, and Moscow on missionary trips to teach English.
The promising student was also fluent in Spanish.
An internet tribute from her dad, Roy, read: “I will forever miss you and I long for the day when I join you in heaven.
“I will forever love you. Daddy.”
An inquest date into her death on October 27, 2010 is being fixed for later this year.
Merseyside Police was last night still investigating.
A spokeswoman for the Royal said: “We have given our sympathies and condolences to the family of this patient in person. We immediately launched an investigation after this incident and have kept in regular contact with the family.
“We await the outcome of the inquest into this case, which will take place later this year. Until that inquest has happened, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Copyright 2011 The Liverpool Daily Post & Echo Ltd
All Rights Reserved