In November 2022, only one parent was allowed on the ward at a time. But shortly before Chloe died, her father and brother Tom, now 19, received permission to see her.
“Every single one of us walked out, and we knew Chloe shouldn’t have died,” said Mrs Longster.
“It was devastating and harrowing to see how she was failed. That’s an understatement, but it wasn’t a shock, it wasn’t a surprise.”
Chloe’s family said she had been conceived by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and that they “cherished every moment with her”.
They described her as the “greatest of joys” and someone who adored animals, friends and family, as well as dancing, gymnastics and art.
“She was the best of us, and deserved so much more,” said Mrs Longster.
“She was a peacekeeper, and even though she was in such tremendous pain, she was never rude to them [hospital staff]. She was always nice, polite, but desperate.
“If you cannot drum up enough empathy for a child as easy as Chloe – and she was – then I really worry about babies, people who are non-verbal or children with challenging behaviour.”