Greek heiress's death after insect bite sparks potential legal action against London hospitals

The family of Marissa Laimou, a 30-year-old Greek heiress and theatre artist, said she died Sept. 11 in London after being discharged from hospital following treatment for a toxic reaction to an insect bite. They say medical staff did not monitor her adequately and plan to pursue legal action against the hospitals, alleging negligence.

Ms. Laimou began feeling unwell on Sept. 9 after returning from a summer visit to the Greek resort island of Porto Cheli, experiencing dizziness, itching and a high fever. She reportedly called an ambulance and a doctor recorded a fever near 39C, but she told responders she would stay at home unless her condition worsened the following day.

On Sept. 10 she travelled to Leaders in Oncology Care on Harley Street, where clinicians carried out blood tests and administered an antibiotic drip and antihistamines. Because her condition was serious, medics arranged an ambulance transfer to University College London Hospital (UCLH).

At UCLH, nurses conducted tests and, after their assessments, discharged her around 6:30 p.m. with antibiotics to take home. A family friend said Marissa also sent messages to a friend from the hospital complaining that "Nobody is checking up on me, nobody is coming." The family say she remained seriously unwell and was unable to eat.

That night she did not recover. She died the following morning, and the housekeeper found her in bed. The family says the official medical diagnosis cited a "toxic effect of venom" caused by an animal or insect bite.

The Inner West London Coroner's Court said the coroner is dealing with the sudden death of Marissa Lemos and investigations are ongoing, with post-mortem results yet to be released.

Family members have described the discharge as negligent. A relative told the Daily Mail that doctors did not examine Marissa and that only nurses performed tests before the discharge, arguing that the oncologist would not have sent her to hospital if it were not urgent. They said the family plans to pursue legal action against the hospitals involved.

Marissa Laimou was born and raised in London in Knightsbridge and came from one of Greece's best-known shipping dynasties, the Lemos family. She had recently undergone treatment for breast cancer, diagnosed in 2023, including aggressive chemotherapy, and later faced a rare immune condition, HLH. Prior to her death, she worked in theatre, directing and performing in Romeo and Juliet in London and preparing another production, Oliver. She also studied musical theatre in New York before returning to London in 2018. Details of the case, including post-mortem findings, remain under review by authorities.