Bury: Schoolgirl, 6, died suddenly hours after dad put her to bed

A father has revealed his heartbreak after his baby daughter died suddenly just hours after he put her to bed.

David Hutton described six-year-old Isla as “the happiest little girl you could ever meet.”

David, 38, took Isla with him earlier in the day and recalled her laughing as they walked up and down an escalator, one of her favorite things to do.

But later during bedtime, David from Bury said he knew immediately something was wrong.

“She climbed into bed but wouldn’t settle down,” he told the Manchester Evening News, adding he knew “something was wrong”.

Isla was hospitalized but tragically died on October 8 last year.

Her cause of death remains unclear, but it is believed that she may have suffered a heart attack or seizure due to a pre-existing medical condition.

The student was diagnosed at birth with Long QT Syndrome, or LQTS – an inherited heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat.

It is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young, otherwise healthy people, according to the NHS website, and is thought to affect one in 2,000 people, many of whom show no symptoms.

The condition meant Isla’s heart muscle was taking longer than usual to recharge between beats, putting her at risk of sudden fainting.

She could also have up to 20 seizures a day.

Doctors quickly identified a problem with Isla’s heart and at two days old she was transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where she was fitted with a pacemaker.

She spent almost a year in the hospital before being allowed home just before her first birthday.

David quit his job as an elementary school teacher to take care of his daughter full-time.

“It feels like it was yesterday that she came and climbed onto my knee, but it feels like it’s been ages,” he said.

“I can see the effect it had on other people and it was comforting.

“I was by her side the whole time in the hospital. Time seems to fly by, but it was like slow motion. I wouldn’t have wanted her to suffer.

“When she came back, I wanted her to still be the happy little girl she was. She was the happiest little girl you could ever meet.”

During her short life, Isla made a huge impact on the world.

She became the mascot for a company working to treat diseases like Long QT Syndrome and helped raise more than $15 million for drug research in the United States.

David has since co-founded the charity Team 1C, which provides support for children and families affected by heart disease.

The charity funded four surgery camps in India hosted by Healing Little Hearts, an organization that provides free heart surgery for babies and children in the developing world.

Now, Team 1C is focused on supporting families and creating lasting legacies for children with heart disease.

“While it’s bittersweet, I take great comfort in knowing that Isla’s story has inspired a potential cure for Long QT and in the fight against cancer,” added David.

“She can go on to save countless lives.”

David also raises funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital children’s charity to honor Isla’s memory.

For more information and to donate click here.

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