THE couple at the centre of a major inquiry at Alder Hey Children's Hospital today thanked their family for helping them through the death of their baby boy.

Keira McGeough, 23, and Wayne Knight, 30, said they were left numb by the death of 18-month-old Jake at the Liverpool hospital three days after he was admitted.

He was transferred there from Queens Park Hospital, Blackburn, where his parents took him for what they thought was a chest infection.

Merseyside Police have been informed and the hospital is conducting an internal investigation.

Keira and Wayne are prepared to take legal action if staff are found to be at fault.

A health watchdog has backed their calls for all the details of the case to be made available.

The couple, of Leicester Road, Blackburn, said the death has left them shocked and angry and revealed the support of their family has helped them through it.

Keira said: "All the family have been great and are helping us out. Everyone was shocked when Jake died. We were devastated."

Jake, who had two sisters, Nicole, eight, and four-year-old Danielle, and a five-year-old brother Wayne, died at the hospital in the early hours of July 8. Keira said his family was at his bedside.

A post-mortem examination has been held, although no cause of death has yet been established.

The Liverpool coroner, Andre Rebello, has been informed and an inquest may be opened. Merseyside Police have been notified and are working with the hospital.

A spokesman for the Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust, which earlier this year was criticised in a report over the Alder Hey organs scandal, refused to discuss the case and released the following statement: "The Trust can confirm that the death of a child at Alder Hey has been referred to HM Coroner.

"The hospital is also conducting its own internal inquiry. For reasons of patient confidentiality, we are unable to comment further."