THE devastated family of a tragic six-year-old girl have been told she died of natural causes relating to her long-standing illness despite elevated levels of her medication being found in her blood.

Leila Willmott suffered from birth with a rare condition called CHARGE syndrome which caused her a range of problems including with her heart and her breathing.

The brave youngster underwent several surgeries and battled with arrhythmia meaning her heart rate could suddenly soar. The condition was being controlled by a drug called flecainide and was administered by carers from Invent Health - a firm specialising in people with complex conditions.

Last July, Leila became unresponsive at her home in Stanway hours after she had been given flecainide.

She sadly died at Colchester Hospital.

A pathologist gave the cause of death as arrhythmia caused by complex congenital heart disease and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome - another heart condition - and CHARGE syndrome.

But concerns were raised about the level of flecainide in her system with fears she had been given as much as double the recommended dosage before she fell ill.

Toxicologist John Slaughter told Essex Coroner’s Court there were reasonable explanations for the increased levels of the medication.

He added: “It is not possible to demonstrate a causal link between a higher dosage of flecainide - if it occurred - to Leila’s death a few hours later.”

Det Sgt Ian Balby investigated Leila’s death and seized two bottles of flecainide – one 100ml bottle which had 45mls missing and one 200ml bottle which had 30mls missing.

He admitted he was concerned about the missing medication but said: “There is no conclusive way to explain where that 45mls has gone, whether it was given to Leila or whether it contributed to her death.”

Colchester Hospital consultant paediatrician Dr Angela Tillett treated Leila from when she was just a few months old and said she had made significant progress since she had known her.

She said colleagues at the Royal Brompton Hospital had advised it was unlikely one increased dose of flecainide would be harmful.

Senior coroner Caroline-Beasley Murray came to the conclusion Leila died of natural causes and praised her family’s bravery for attending the inquest. She said she hoped they would focus on their happy memories.

Speaking to the Gazette after her death in July, Leila’s mum Ellie described her as a courageous social butterfly with an amazing sense of humour.