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Little Pippa's body was shutting down. Her mum watched it happen in a hospital waiting room.

When Annah White rushed her two-year-old daughter, Pippa Mae, to the emergency department, she had no idea her little girl would pass away the next day.

Pippa had a fever. She was vomiting, had diarrhoea and was struggling to breathe. Despite arriving at Cowra hospital around 2pm, it would be hours before a doctor saw her.

Annah sat helplessly as her daughter's condition deteriorated right in front of her. The next day, just two months shy of her third birthday, Pippa died.

Pippa was cheeky and charming. She loved dancing, taking care of her dolls and eating ice creams.

Pippa left behind five siblings: Bodhi, Tamika, Sophie, Lucy and her twin, Leo.

On Monday, the second week of an inquest into Pippa's death began.

Her parents, Annah and Brock, are calling for answers — and change. They believe their daughter's death was preventable.

Pippa White with her parents Annah and Brock White.Pippa with her parents, Annah and Brock White. Image: Supplied.

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The inquest has already heard that Pippa waited more than five hours to be examined, that a blood test wasn't done until 4am the next morning, revealing severe sepsis, and that despite efforts to stabilise her, Pippa died in Orange Hospital before she could be transferred to Sydney.

Speaking outside court surrounded by loved ones and other grieving families, Annah spoke of her family's grief following Pippa's death.

"We are all equally broken, shattered. A life sentence, one without the chace of parole — that's what life is like for grieving families," she said.

Annah said they felt that if they didn't push for change, no one would.

"We never want another family to go through what we have," she said.

Pipa White (right) with her big sister Lucy.Big sister Lucy and Pippa. Image: Supplied.

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The inquest.

On June 12, 2022, two-year-old Pippa arrived at Cowra hospital with a fever, low oxygen levels and trouble breathing.

During the first week of the inquest, last year, the court was told that a nurse triaged her and recorded her heart rate at 171 beats per minute — a reading considered a "red zone" observation under sepsis guidelines, per The Guardian.

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Despite this, it was more than five hours before Pippa was examined by a doctor.

That doctor was Suheil Mir, the only one on duty at the time. He told the court he was unable to leave the bedside of another young patient, an eight-year-old child who had gone into cardiac arrest.

Mir's account of events differed from what Annah and Brock told the court. Mir denied their claims that he failed to use a stethoscope during Pippa's assessment, and rejected suggestions he told other families to go home unless their children were critically ill.

Annah told the inquest a nurse told her that unless Pippa was in a life-threatening condition, they should leave because the hospital was overwhelmed.

Pippa White with her family. Pippa with her family. Image: Supplied.

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When they returned later that day, Pippa was seriously ill. When she was finally assessed around 7pm, doctors called Orange hospital for advice and decided to transfer her to the larger hospital.

Pippa arrived at Orange just after 9pm.

Despite doctors' efforts, her condition continued to deteriorate.

A specialist team was sent from Sydney to take her to Westmead Children's Hospital, but Pippa never made it out of Orange.

She suffered two cardiac arrests and died just after 1pm on June 13.

Week two of the inquest begins Monday and will run until Friday. The court is expected to hear from Pippa's parents, nurses, NSW Health officials and representatives from the local health district.

A group of medical experts will also give evidence and submit a joint report compiled after a review of Pippa's case.

Feature image: Supplied.

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