ONE question still remains unanswered for grieving dad Glen Palmer – why did his daughter Samantha die?

The father of the popular 25-year-old former Dorcan pupil took no solace from the verdict of death by natural causes the coroner gave at her inquest yesterday, after she died suddenly from a rare heart infection last year.

Glen, who said his daughter was a fit and healthy young woman, said: “This has not given me any closure – I just don’t understand how this can happen to a healthy 25-year-old.”

Sam, a pensions administrator from Covingham, died at Great Western Hospital in November when her heart failed and doctors were unable to resuscitate her.

Earlier, in September, she delighted her family when she announced she was pregnant, but six weeks into the pregnancy, Sam felt unwell and went to the Clover Unit at the GWH, where the pregnancy was found to be ectopic.

She underwent keyhole surgery, was discharged the next day and signed off work for two weeks to rest. Just 12 days later she complained of a fever and later had to be admitted to hospital with a high temperature and low blood pressure.

Despite tests and doses of antibiotics, Sam was unable to beat the infection and died on November 5.

Coroner Ian Singleton, sitting at Salisbury Coroners’ Court, concluded that her death was as a result of multiple organ failure due to acute lymphocytic myocarditis – an inflammatory infection in the heart which can be aggressive.

Glen looked on as the coroner heard evidence from GWH doctors that the infection spread too rapidly for the antibiotics to work and for Sam’s immune system to cope, resulting in multi-organ failure.

Dr Magdalena Blahut-Zugaj said: “It can affect all patients of all age groups and usually there’s some susceptibility, some factor where some patients are more prone to develop myocarditis.

“There are instances when the immune system is not strong enough to fight the infection within the time frame. Multi-organ failure does not involve the heart very often – it was an inflammatory response in the heart to the ongoing infection. All measures really were addressed to the patient to survive the acute phase of the infection. The antibiotics and supportive measures that were appropriate were suggested by the cardiologist and would be what we normally do.”

In his conclusion Mr Singleton said: “I have heard how Samantha Palmer had claimed she was feeling unwell on October 26. Antibiotics were prescribed but over the next few days she contacted the out of hours doctor and her condition did not improve.

“She was referred to GWH by her GP and on October 31 there were signs of improvement and plans made for a discharge. But on November 1 she deteriorated with the return of a higher temperature. The hospital expected it to clear after a day or two but other bodily infections can be expected in other organs.

“Samantha died of multiple organ failure due to acute myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart which damaged the cardiac muscle to the extent it was beyond recovery. Her immune system was not strong enough to fight the infection before it could be treated.”

Sam was engaged to Scott Woodward, 24, and the couple were renting their first home and planning their wedding. It was to be a first grandchild for Glen and wife Sue, who have two other children, Lucia, 28, and John, 22.

Speaking after the hearing, Glen said: “If my daughter was not into keeping fit and having a healthy lifestyle maybe I might understand. It’s still a lot to take in and I don’t understand.

“Summer would have been her time and she’s not here, that’s what I find the hardest.”