A woman has been charged with manslaughter following the death of her daughter after reportedly hiding the teenager’s diabetes from her hospital.
Amber Hampshire, 39, who lives in Illinois, US refused to release her daughter’s medical records, according to a press release from Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons, and prevented her from receiving proper treatment.
Hampshire also denied that her daughter, Emily Ikue-Rose Hampshire, used insulin.
Emily died from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) on 3 November, two days after she was transferred to a St Louis hospital following a call from her mother to paramedics on 1 November informing them that Emily was unresponsive and not breathing.
DKA is a life-threatening complication of either undiagnosed or uncontrolled type 1 diabetes which results in too high blood glucose levels.
Emily had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2013, but this wasn’t known by Emilys hospital until after her death. Hampshire had previously blocked doctors from accessing copies of Emily’s medical records.
Hampshire allegedly told St Louis doctors that Emily had been diagnosed elsewhere in February 2018 with pneumonia, and that Emily had high blood glucose levels but was not prescribed insulin.
Hampshire had been instructed to bring Emily to three follow-up appointments following her February 2018 hospitalisation, but did not do so.
An investigation found that Hampshire “was fully aware of Emily’s diabetic condition but took measures to conceal Emilys diabetes and failed to provide Emily with appropriate medical treatment and medication, which led to Emily’s death from diabetic ketoacidosis”.
Hampshire has been charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of endangering the life or health of a child. If convicted, she faces up to 14 years of prison for the manslaughter charge and up to 10 years for endangering Emilys life.
Days after Emily’s death, police obtained a search warrant and discovered diabetes medication and equipment at Hampshire’s home.
