Heartbroken dad of Aoife Johnston 'regrets not doing more' to help save her

In their first interview, Aoife’s parents James and Carol told RTE presenter Miriam O’Callaghan on tonight's Prime Time, about the family's ongoing grief and the impact their daughter’s death has had on the family and the wider community

The heartbroken dad of tragic Aoife Johnston has spoken of his regret of not "doing more" to help save his daughter.

Aoife, 16, died at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) of meningitis on 19 December, 2022 after being left without antibiotics, a "vital" treatment that could have saved her life.

The Leaving Cert student initially presented at the emergency department of UHL on 17 December with suspected sepsis.

READ MORE - Six people facing disciplinary process in wake of Aoife Johnston’s death

READ MORE - Sepsis teen Aoife Johnston's death was avoidable as report finds she was sent to wrong area of ED

But, there was nearly a 14-hour gap between when Aoife was seen by a GP and when she received the required antibiotics for sepsis.

In their first interview, Aoife’s parents James and Carol told RTE presenter Miriam O’Callaghan on tonight's Prime Time, about the family's ongoing grief and the impact their daughter’s death has had on the family and the wider community.

Speaking about the night Aoife was admitted to UHL dad James said: "There's not a day that goes by that I don't blame myself for not doing more later on during the night, and just. I just didn't think she was going to die.

"Like, I really. I just. If I had. If I had known, I would have torn the place apart, but I just didn't. Just didn't think that she was going to die on us. I really didn't."

Mum Carol said when Aoife died, a part of them died too.

"When Aoife died, a part of us, we definitely died with Aoife. Our life has totally changed for the worst, definitely. I can't see, I don't see happy days coming,” said Carol.

"I can't see them. We try our best. We try to just take each day, Miriam, as it comes, but it's very sad. It's lonely. It's different. It's quiet."

A recently published report into the incident has confirmed that her death was “almost certainly avoidable."

"I know from the report and from any other investigations, a lot of it goes back to overcrowding. I suppose as Aoife's parents, it's very hard to accept that as the answer, that's why Aoife died for overcrowding," said Carol, adding: "I do firmly believe that if Aoife was in a different hospital, she would have survived that night."

Watch Prime Time tonight October 3, at 9:35pm RTÉ One and RTÉ Player

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