Family's heartache after baby who fell ill during holiday in Turkey dies

A 21-month-old baby who fell ill during a family holiday to Turkey died of an 'unascertained' natural cause after collapsing at home, a coroner has concluded.

Penelope Collier-Johnson's father performed CPR after the tot was found to have 'gone floppy' several days after they returned home to Bolton, but she tragically later died in hospital.

The infant had been seen at her GP practice ten days before her death but she was sent home with a suspected viral infection, Bolton Coroners' Court was told. Her mother told the inquest the death had had a 'devastating effect' on her family.

Council officials later found some mould at the rented home but a pathologist concluded it was 'very unlikely' it would have caused Penelope's chest infection.

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The infant's mother Naomie Collier, who has two other children, told the inquest in a statement illness affected the whole family during a holiday in Turkey. After a few days, Penelope developed a cough with with a green-coloured discharge coming from her nose, said Ms Collier who said she kept the child out of the pool.

But the temperature in Turkey topped 40C and on a couple of occasions Penelope became 'very hot'. The air conditioning was turned off and Penelope 'started to pick up' by the end of the holiday, said Ms Collier, who said all members of her family became ill during the trip.

When they returned, Ms Collier said she was prescribed antibiotics after being diagnosed with sinusitis while Penelope was diagnosed with a viral infection, the court was told.

Ms Collier said during the late morning of July 2, 2023, she noticed Penelope was 'unsettled' at their home on Hawarden Street in Astley Bridge, Bolton, and thought she may