By Michelle Canning Smith
THE FAMILY of the Strabane woman, who suffered 34 fractures to her body after death, have vowed to continue searching until they find the truth.
The family are so incensed at the outcome of an investigation by Senior Coroner for the North, John Leckey, that they now want a full independent inquiry to establish how the injuries to their elderly mother's body occurred.
They will meet with the Coroner next week and have already garnered the support of MP Pat Doherty and MLA Kieran Deeny.
The McGinley family are outraged at an '80 word' letter from the Coroner, effectively telling them that their mother's death was accidental.
The letter states that it was not possible to identify at what stage or in what circumstances the fractures were sustained, despite having spoken with everyone involved in the handling of Mrs McGinley's body after her death at Altnagelvin Hospital.
He concludes by saying that as the fractures occurred after death there is no basis for an inquest being held.
Maureen McGinley's daughter, Tina, said "Not only are we disgusted but we are just very bitter at this stage. As time goes on we are all getting angrier. We are more determined to find the answers as to what happened to our mother.
"If someone came six weeks ago and put their hands up and said it was an accident then we would have accepted that, but not now. We are getting angrier as the days go on.
"We are more determined than ever to find answers. If it takes twenty, thirty or forty years to get answers, even if there is just one of us left, we will get the answers as to how my mother sustained 34 fractures."
Daughter Anne said the letter and statements arrived through the post and she was shocked at the limited explanation. She says the family just want peace of mind.
Son James adds, "We want to move my mother's case on so we met with Pat Doherty this morning to look at ways that we can progress this.
"One of the statements from a staff member says she left to wash her hands before preparing the body but when she arrived back the body was already washed but no-one seems to know who that was.
"We were told there would be a full investigation but 80 words does not constitute that. There was no full investigation, this was designed to make it all go away.
"We now want a full public inquiry into how our mother sustained these injuries. We will take this step by step and follow every avenue until we get answers. We don't know if the truth is being covered up, someone was responsible yet we are no further forward."
Tina adds, "We are falling to pieces inside but we are sticking together and helping one another through this. It would appear that the attitude is that our mother was dead anyway and that is not the point at all."
Sinn Fein MP Pat Doherty is working with the family. He met with them on Tuesday and revealed that he is working to attempt to have the case investigated by the Assembly Ombudsman, as well as looking at other avenues.
He said the case would not be dropped until proper answers are given to the McGinley family.
He added that an independent inquiey has to happen adding that any inhouse investigation could lead to cover-ups.
Dr Kieran Deeny said as a GP and as their MLA he fully supports the family in their call for a Public Inquiry.
"A Public Inquiry will interview everyone involved to try and get answers. It is going to take someone to come forward with the truth; the family need someone with a conscience to speak out.
"Someone knows what happened, the answer the family were given saying it was a 'simple accident' is nonsense, one or two fractures maybe but 30+ definitely not, severe forceful impact must have caused this number of fractures.
"Even if a Public Inquiry does not reveal the truth at least the family will have done all they possibly can. It is very important for their own peace of mind and mental and emotional health that they get some closure on the death of their mother."
