Devastated parents of Aoife Johnston speak about her “avoidable” death

In December 2022, 16-year-old Aoife Johnston died after waiting nearly 14 hours for treatment at the Emergency Department of University Hospital Limerick

Aoife Johnston’s mother and father, Carol and James, are speaking out about the devastating loss of their daughter.

In December 2022, 16-year-old Aoife Johnston died after waiting nearly 14 hours for treatment at the Emergency Department of University Hospital Limerick. A verdict of medical misadventure was returned at the inquest into her death in April.

Consultant Microbiologist Dr Patrick Stapleton testified that Aoife would likely have survived her meningitis infection had she received antibiotics in time

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Aoife, who presented with suspected sepsis, passed away after a delay in receiving medical care. A recently published report into the incident has confirmed that her death was “almost certainly avoidable.”

Speaking to Prime Time tonight, her father James recalled the night she was admitted to hospital.

“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 like, that she was going to die on us. I really didn't.”

The official report into Aoife’s death highlights significant delays in care at University Hospital Limerick, where Aoife waited nearly 14 hours in the Emergency Department before receiving any form of treatment for suspected sepsis.

Speaking to Miriam O'Callaghan about the devastating loss, they shared how deeply their daughter's death has impacted them, their wider family and the local community.

Speaking about the loss of Aoife, her mother Carol said that when Aoife passed away, she took a piece of them with her.

“When Aoife died, a part of us, we definitely died with Aoife. Our life has totally changed for the worst."

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

In their interview with RTÉ Prime Time, her parents reflect on their fight for justice, with her mother explaining: “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.

Watch Prime Time tonight October 3, at 9:35pm RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and read the extended digital report on RTÉ.ie/primetime.

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