Hospital kept daughter's brain

Rebekka Hudd died five years ago

A mother whose daughter was killed by a driver using a mobile phone has discovered that her brain was removed and retained by a Bristol hospital.

11-year-old Rebekka Hudd died after being knocked down in 1996.

Mrs Hudd, of Pucklechurch, is now asking for the return of the brain and some "tissue blocks" which were also kept.

"I want everything to come back to be buried near her coffin," she told BBC News Online.

Life support

"Before they switched off her life support machine I was asked about organ donation and I said 'no' as she had been damaged enough already.

"Although I had been told she was brain stem dead I was praying she might survive."

They've stolen her brain. I am disgusted

Lynda Hudd

Following national publicity about organ retentions, Mrs Hudd phoned a hospital helpline to make inquiries.

She has now received a letter from North Bristol NHS Trust saying that Rebekka's brain, four tissue blocks and 13 slides were retained following a post mortem to confirm the cause of death.

'Better ways'

The letter said: "You were not told about this at the time to avoid causing additional distress following the loss of your loved one.

"We now know there are better ways of dealing with this and in future full information must be provided to relatives."

The letter apologises for this not happening in her case and for the "uncertainty and distress that reliving the situation may have caused to you and your family".

"In effect they've stolen her brain. I am disgusted," said Mrs Hudd.

Fifth anniversary

She will be asking for its return, together with the tissue, under arrangements allowed by the Retained Organs Commission.

"I want to bury them by her in the village churchyard on the fifth anniversary of her funeral in September," she said.

Since Rebekka's death, Mrs Hudd has been campaigning for the use of mobile phones while driving to be made illegal.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) is urging the government to change the law.