Mother found her ‘perfect’ three-month-old baby daughter dead in hotel room in Crete

A British mother who found her baby dead in their hotel room during a family holiday to Crete may never know what killed her.

Office manager Rachael Fitzgerald, believed to be 39, had waited eight years for her first baby with partner Mark Maddocks.

She gave birth to Lara in March, 2019, and in July the family went to Crete on their first holiday abroad together.

But on the first night of their stay at the Village Heights Hotel in the Greek resort of Hersonissos, Ms Fitzgerald woke up to find Lara lying unresponsive in her bed. 

Mr Maddocks tried to revive the youngster but she was pronounced dead at the scene, an inquest in Stockport has now heard.

Rachael Fitzgerald, from Hale near Altrincham, found her daughter Lara dead in her bed in Crete

The couple had been trying for eight years for their first child

Lara was described as being the 'perfect little girl'

Born at 40 weeks Lara was described as being the ‘perfect little girl with a bigger social life than many adults’

Tests were carried out in Greece at the time but experts were unable to establish a cause of death. 

At an inquest last week, a doctor said Lara’s parents from Hale, near Altrincham, Greater Manchester may never know the reason for their daughter’s unexpected death.

The couple had been trying for eight years for their first child, and everything fell into place with the birth of their daughter in March of last year. 

Born at 40 weeks Lara was described as being the ‘perfect little girl with a bigger social life than many adults’.

She would regularly be out in her buggy with her mother and was affectionately nicknamed ‘Lady Lara’.

The tragedy occurred on July 3 last year after the family checked into the Village Heights Hotel (pictured)

The tragedy occurred on July 3 last year after the family checked into the Village Heights Hotel (pictured)

Lara's father Mark Maddocks tried to revive the youngster but she was pronounced dead at the scene

Lara’s father Mark Maddocks tried to revive the youngster but she was pronounced dead at the scene

The tragedy occurred on July 3 last year after the family checked into the Village Heights Hotel.

The hearing was told Lara had recently been treated for symptoms of a cold but otherwise appeared to be in perfect health.

Miss Fitzgerald told the hearing: ‘Her last feed that night was about 11pm. About 6am I woke up and I just looked at her though I was facing the other way and turned my head. She was just on her back and just looked very peaceful and normal but I knew that something’s not right.

‘I said “Lara, Lara” but she never normally wakes till about 8am so it was still early really. 

‘I didn’t get a response and picked her up and her arm just slipped down and chaos went on from there. Mark grabbed her and tried to resuscitate her. She was warm she wasn’t blue.

‘It doesn’t make sense. I’m obsessed with suffocation issues and you just go through these things – but nothing was near her.’ 

Mr Maddocks, an aircraft dispatcher, said: ‘We tried so hard for a long time to have a child – for eight years. But in the end it all worked and Lara was so good she slept a lot and didn’t cry – she was perfect.

‘She went everywhere with us, she went more places than some people had been in a lifetime.’

Mr Maddocks tried to resuscitate Lara after finding her unresponsive in their hotel room

Mr Maddocks tried to resuscitate Lara after finding her unresponsive in their hotel room

The couple from Greater Manchester had been trying for eight years for their first child

The couple from Greater Manchester had been trying for eight years for their first child

Dr Melanie Newbold, a paediatric pathologist from Manchester Royal Children’s Hospital, said: ‘I was able to say that Lara looked like a perfect little girl and seemed to be well grown for her age and no problems with growth.

‘Absolutely no signs of suffocation, no evidence whatsoever that suffocation was involved in her death.

What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? 

When no cause for the death can be found, it is called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

SIDS is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently well baby.

In Australia in 2016, 94 babies died suddenly and unexpectedly. Despite these deaths, the condition is rare.

Mothers can reduce the risk of SIDS by not smoking while pregnant or after the baby is born, and always placing the baby on their back to sleep.

Source: Health Direct

‘No signs of any illness and internal organs were all perfectly normally formed. No evidence of overwhelming sepsis. 

‘Some evidence that she might have had a recent cold like almost everybody had. Other than that no positive findings. Signs of cold wouldn’t have caused her to die.

‘Very rare to find evidence of why they have died. It’s not unusual sadly.   

‘We used to call it sudden death syndrome or cot death, we don’t really understand all the factors and it might be that we never will.’

In a statement read to the court, family GP Dr Helen Symcox, said: ‘Lara was born at 40 weeks. Had her first set of immunisations and was seen on June 5, for upper respiratory tract infection and was a bit snuffly. She was active and alert and smiling and her chest was clear.

‘On June 25, took her to the surgery with what was thought to be another cold and was a bit snuffly and dribbling a bit. But was drinking her milk and having water so had no concerns.’

Lara's parents have raised more than £5,000 towards the Lullaby Trust charity which gives advice about reducing the risk of cot death or sudden infant death syndrome

Lara’s parents have raised more than £5,000 towards the Lullaby Trust charity which gives advice about reducing the risk of cot death or sudden infant death syndrome

The court heard how the GP spoke to her mother about using sun cream and keeping her hydrated and was happy for her to go on holiday.

Recording a conclusion of death by natural causes coroner Alison Mutch told Lara’s parents: ‘It’s clear that she had quite a little personality about her. Also came over in the evidence just how well loved and looked after she was.

‘She had a very short life but clearly a very happy life and was very very well looked after. What we know is that she had a social life that few of us could ever aspire to and loved being out and about. She was obviously a very sociable little girl.

The hearing was told Lara had recently been treated for symptoms of a cold before the holiday but otherwise appeared to be in perfect health

The hearing was told Lara had recently been treated for symptoms of a cold before the holiday but otherwise appeared to be in perfect health

‘As a family you made the decision to go on holiday and then went to the GP to check they were happy and she was okay for you to go away. It seems like a really lovely place you took her to although memories are very different now. 

‘What also comes across from the evidence that not withstanding the shock of what was happening at that time that you both did the right thing for your daughter. You tried to resuscitate her and called for help straight away and did everything you possibly could for your daughter. 

‘I express my condolences to you at your loss at this very difficult time I know for all of you as a family. I can only imagine how difficult life is at the moment coming to terms with it. And pass them on to the other family who I am sure miss Lara very much.’

Lara’s parents have raised more than £5,000 towards the Lullaby Trust charity which gives advice about reducing the risk of cot death or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk