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Minster woman Martine Ingram is fighting to uncover the cause of her mum's death on Gran Canaria

A Minster woman says she cannot move on until she gets answers from Spanish authorities about what caused her mother’s death in Gran Canaria 18 months ago.

Lorraine Ingram died in a hotel room in the resort of Puerto Rico in October 2013.

The 71-year-old was spending a month there with her husband John, 76.

Martine Ingram is still trying to get her mother's toxicology and blood results from the Spanish authorities. Picture: Andy Payton
Martine Ingram is still trying to get her mother's toxicology and blood results from the Spanish authorities. Picture: Andy Payton

Her daughter Martine Ingram said her mother was feeling unwell and went to a doctor who diagnosed her with gastroenteritis.

"When he [dad] checked at about 1pm, he just said to me ‘I knew she was gone, I knew she was dead’.” - Martine Ingram

She said: “Mum and dad were very well travelled, pretty much away for three months of the year. They had been to China, Japan, all over the world.

“It was very unusual but she had been unwell, a bit of holiday belly.

“On the morning of the 26th, mum was in enough discomfort that dad said he was going to call a doctor so he went to reception and asked them to get a doctor.

“He looked at mum, she was very upbeat, jovial to him, a little bit embarrassed, he gave her a prescription for tablets but before he left he gave her two injections, one was an anti-sickness, one was a painkiller.”

“Mum never got back off the bed. Dad thought she was sleeping soundly. He was checking her every half hour. When he checked at about 1pm, he just said to me ‘I knew she was gone, I knew she was dead’.”

Lorraine Ingram
Lorraine Ingram

A doctor was called back to the room and Mrs Ingram flew over on the next available flight the next day.

The 45-year-old got a taxi to the surgery and asked to see the doctor.

“I’m afraid I just feel the longer we wait for answers the more suspicious I become. I feel it impossible to believe that someone can give a cause of death without looking at the blood tests considering she had been injected" - Martine Ingram

For insurance purposes, she asked him what he had injected and when he told her the drug she asked how much he used.

She said he told her he had given the “statutory dose” but when she asked how much that is, her suspicions were aroused when he had to look it up in a medical book.

A postmortem examination was carried out two days after the death.

A preliminary cause of death was given as a heart attack and in a translated version of the report, it says samples had been taken to reach a definitive conclusion, which Mrs Ingram believes was blood for a toxicology test.

A second postmortem examination was carried out in Medway Hospital but they said the body had been heavily embalmed in Gran Canaria and the pathologist was therefore unable to determine any results.

An inquest into Mrs Ingram’s death has been opened at the Archbishop’s Palace, Maidstone, and it is awaiting the Spanish evidence before continuing.

In July 2014, Mrs Ingram received the full, translated report from the original postmortem but said she was dismayed to find no mention of bloods or toxicology.

Mrs Ingram died following a visit to the doctor on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. Picture: Chris Michael
Mrs Ingram died following a visit to the doctor on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. Picture: Chris Michael

Working on her behalf, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has requested the blood test results half a dozen times from the Spanish authorities on a 12-weekly basis but as yet they have not been sent.

Mrs Ingram said: “I’m told there is no legal jurisdiction we have to demand them. We can only request them.

“I’m afraid I just feel the longer we wait for answers the more suspicious I become. I feel it impossible to believe that someone can give a cause of death without looking at the blood tests considering she had been injected.

“Here we are at the 18-month mark this week. We have done everything we can but it is just something I can’t let go.

“I hope I’m wrong. I hope the results come back and show the injections had nothing to do with it.”


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