The family of a Greek heiress who tragically died after suffering an insect bite have spoken out to share the harrowing messages she sent them from hospital.
Marissa Laimou, 28, was rushed to University College London Hospital (UCLH) on 10 September after visiting her local clinic with complaints of dizziness, itching and a high temperature.
Her family have now shared the story of how, after just four hours in the hospital, where she had tests carried out by nurses but allegedly wasn't seen by a doctor, she was discharged with antibiotics.
After taking the medicine with some food, she went to sleep and sadly never woke up, with her housekeeper finding her lifeless in bed the next morning.
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A coroner is still investigating her death, but her family has claimed that the official diagnosis given by doctors was “toxic effect of venom” caused by an 'animal or insect bite'.
And now, the family has shared some of the texts she sent during her spell in hospital which seemingly make it clear that she was in no fit state to go home.
A relative told the Mail Online: “No doctor examined Marissa. Only the nurses saw her and did the blood tests, and passed the test to the doctor, and the doctor said you can be discharged, that’s all.
“They should not have let her go, definitely. If it was not so urgent, her oncologist would not have sent her in an ambulance, they would have said go in an Uber or go later. It was urgent.
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"They didn’t address it with the serious way they should have done.”
A family friend, also speaking to Mail Online, revealed the contents of the messages sent by Laimou while she was at UCLH, where she had blood tests and was given a drip with fluids.
The texts allegedly read: "Nobody is checking up on me, nobody is coming, I don’t know where they are, I’m still itching, I feel dizzy, I don’t feel well."
Marissa was part of the wealthy Lemos family, one of the biggest names in the Greek shipping industry, and they are planning to launch legal action in the wake of the 28-year-old's tragic and sudden death.
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She had just returned from a holiday on the Greek resort island of Porto Cheli when she started feeling unwell, recording a high fever of 39C on the night of 9 September.
However, she remained at home until the following morning, when she decided to seek further medical help, but she would pass away the same evening after being discharged from hospital at 6.30pm.
Marissa had previously survived breast cancer, and it remains unclear exactly what insect or venom had infected her system, and why she seemingly wasn't seen by a doctor after going to hospital.
A UCLH spokesperson said: “We were extremely sad to hear of the death of Marissa Lemos. We offer our deep condolences to her family and friends at this sad and difficult time.
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“We have initiated an internal investigation as is the normal process for an unexpected death. We await the result of the post-mortem, and we will provide any information required from the coroner’s court.”
James Moorhouse