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Two health trusts have apologised for "inexcusable failures" surrounding the treatment of a woman who smothered her daughter and then took her own life.In a joint statement the Belfast and Western Health Trusts accepted the death of Madeleine O'Neill's daughter Lauren should never have occurred.
The expressions of remorse formed part of the settlement of two civil actions.
Mrs O'Neill and nine-year-old Lauren were found dead in their home at Manse Road in Carryduff in July 2005.
The trusts admitted negligence and breach of statutory duty, and agreed to pay five-figure damages and costs to Mrs O'Neill's family and her estranged husband John O'Neill.
Mrs O'Neill, who hanged herself, had been treated for psychiatric problems in the weeks leading up to the deaths.
In November an inquest heard that Mrs O'Neill told health professionals she thought about killing herself.
That inquest also heard how before she died, Mrs O'Neill used an internet search engine to find information on how to end her life and that of her child.
John O'Neill, the estranged husband of Mrs O'Neill, said he had no idea she had told doctors she might harm Lauren. T
The first he had known was months after they died, when police told him they had found it in Madeline's medical notes.
He said he felt aggrieved that so many people in the health service had known about the threat to his daughter's life, but said that none of them had acted or told him, so that he could protect her and that no-one had been held accountable.
The case caused controversy after it emerged that there had been an apparent failure to transfer notes between the doctors who treated Mrs O'Neill at Knockbracken Health Care Park in south Belfast and staff at Gransha hospital in Londonderry where she had been transferred for further treatment.
'Failure to act'
Mrs O'Neill, who was originally from Derry, had a history of depression and left hospital nearly two weeks before she died.
In their joint statement the Belfast and Western Trusts both said they accepted "unconditionally and unreservedly" their failings.
"During the course of her treatment, Madeleine O'Neill made disclosures to some of those treating her that she intended to take her own life and that of Lauren O'Neill," the statement said.
"The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Western Health and Social Care Trust accept that there was a failure to act properly or appropriately on these disclosures so as to ensure that all relevant arrangements were put in place for the protection of Lauren.
"They further accept that there was a failure to inform John O'Neill of the content of any of these disclosures at any time prior to Lauren's death with the consequence that John O'Neill, at no time, had any knowledge or reason to suspect that the life of his daughter was at risk.
"The Trusts accept that these failures were inexcusable and resulted in Lauren being left exposed to the foreseeable risk of harm from Madeleine, who remained psychiatrically unwell."
Inquests into the deaths, due to start next week, have been cancelled.
Senior Coroner John Leckey agreed instead to register the two deaths.
"What I find particularly upsetting is the death of a nine-year-old girl," he said.
"I'm fairly pleased that the Trusts have recognised the dreadful fate that befell her and have put in place procedures that hopefully will prevent a recurrence of anything remotely similar."This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.