A British mother and daughter died in their Nottinghamshire home despite the mother calling for an ambulance months earlier, an investigation has revealed.

The bodies of Alphonsine Djiako Leuga, 47, and her 18-year-old daughter Loraine Choulla were found in May last year. Alphonsine had called 999 on February 2, providing her address and requesting help, but the call was mistakenly marked as “abandoned,” and no ambulance was dispatched.

At a recent inquest, Detective Con Jack Cook said Alphonsine likely died shortly after the call. Loraine, who had Down syndrome and was completely dependent on her mother, survived until her device lost power. She is believed to have died in April.

Alphonsine had health conditions, including sickle cell anemia. Her daughter’s cause of death remains unconfirmed, but she had pneumonia of uncertain cause. A pathologist could not rule out hunger or dehydration.

Susan Jevons, head of patient safety for East Midlands Ambulance Service, explained that the call was closed after failed attempts to reconnect. She apologized for the service’s failures, saying an ambulance should have been sent and that the incident “should never have happened.”