THE Little Hulton mother cleared by an Appeal Court of the manslaughter of her severely disabled baby daughter today accused police and health chiefs of a cover-up.

Julie Watts made the dramatic claim on national TV when she demanded to know who was to blame for the death of her daughter Abby.

Speaking on the This Morning programme Mrs Watts said: "We feel it was a cover-up between the hospital and police to make somebody accountable for her death."

Mrs Watts has demanded face-to-face talks with bosses at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury. As reported in the BEN, Mrs Watts was originally given a two-year suspended sentence for the manslaughter of Abby, who was born with the extremely rare clover leaf condition.

But last week Mrs Watts' conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal in London.

The police investigation centred on a tracheotomy tube permanently fixed in Abby's throat to help keep her alive. It became dislodged while Abby was in the hospital's intensive care unit.

Mrs Watts, who has been living in Tyldesley since her conviction, said today: "I think the hospital were frightened they might be blamed because a baby died there in similar circumstances a few years before.

"I am asking the hospital to explain to us why they failed to follow procedures written down after the other case."

Mrs Watts said hospital chiefs have never been prepared to talk to her. She added: "Until they admit the hospital did not follow procedures I feel my name will never be cleared." Manchester Children's Hospital Trust executive director Ray Goodier said today that the trust was satisfied with the original police investigation.

In the BEN last week the officer who led the police inquiry Det Insp Ray Towey said: "We are not going to re-open the case and are not looking for anyone else in connection with Abby's death."

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