Family of Greek heiress, 28, who ‘died from insect bite’ plan to sue two UK hospitals that turned her away
The devastated family of a Greek shipping heiress who died after being bitten by an insect have accused two hospitals of negligence.
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The family of Marissa Laimou, 28 are taking legal action against two London hospitals which her family say ultimately turned her away saying “it would have been nothing to keep her one night. They could have monitored her.”
Marissa began feeling unwell after returning to the UK on September 9 after a summer holiday.
She had a temperature of 39C and she took herself to a private hospital in Harley Street.
An ambulance was called and she was sent to an NHS hospital. Her family say she was never examined by a doctor and she was discharged a few hours later. She was found dead by her housekeeper on September 11.
The 28-year-old has been showing several symptoms including dizziness, itching, a fever and signs of an infection three days prior to her death, according to Greek media.
A doctor visited her home and prescribed her paracetamol, but her condition didn’t change.
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Laimou, who recently beat breast cancer, is then understood to have gone to her oncologist at the Harley Street hospital.
She was then sent to the NHS hospital by ambulance, her mother said.
But her family and friends said she was seen by nurses, not doctors, at the second hospital. They reportedly examined her and decided she didn’t need to be admitted for further treatment.
She was given antibiotics and a diagnosis that indicated an insect bite, and sent home in the early evening.
The next day, she was found dead in her bed.
Her mother Bessy told Greek newspapers that the toxic shock caused by an insect bite caused her death, although it’s currently not known if this was the case, or what type of insect bit her.
Bessy said: "My daughter had survived cancer and died from an insect.
"She was a girl with so many gifts, all of England is crying, all her doctors too."
An autopsy hasn’t been carried out yet, according to Laimou’s family, with her aunt saying they won’t have any answers until after the post-mortem examination is carried out.
At the time of her death, Ms Laimou was putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet in London with the company she runs.
The Laimou family is a well-known Greek shipping family, with their business dating back to the early 20th century.