Hospital Investigates Why Pensioner Had Over 30 Fractures After Death

A hospital probe is under way into how an Ulster pensioner received more than 30 fractures to her body after her death. The move comes after Mary McGinley (78), from Orchard Street in Strabane, who died from pneumonia at Altnagelvin Hospital on January 3, was found to have 34 rib fractures before a post mortem was carried out.

The news was delivered to the deceased woman’s family two weeks ago at Strabane Health Centre as they went to collect the results of her post mortem. Her sons Martin and James McGinley last night demanded an explanation. A spokeswoman for Altnagelvin Hospital said an investigation would be undertaken.

Martin McGinley said: “This has really upset all of us. We just want to know what has happened to our mother after she died and how she ended up with these fractures. It has been a bit confusing and all we are asking for is answers; some sort of an explanation.”

His brother James added: “We’re shattered, our lives have been turned upside down, we haven’t even had time to grieve. She died on a Wednesday at 6.40pm, her body didn’t go to Belfast until the Friday morning. Our parish priest is also up in arms about this. We want to know how it happened and why it happened.”

Father Declan Boland said the family is struggling to come to terms with what happened. “They are a very close family and she was a very well-loved woman,” he said. They have not yet come to terms with their mother’s death because of this. They just want to know what happened, they are not motivated through any sort of bitterness, they want to know the truth. I myself have never come across anything like this and Mary’s family deserve to know so they can get some sort of closure.”