A NEWBORN baby tragically died after her exhausted mother was sent home just four hours after a long birth, an inquest heard.
Baby Evelyn Grace March was just one day old when her mum fell asleep while trying to breastfeed her in her own bed.
The tot was pronounced dead at Leeds General Infirmary hospital in Leeds[/caption]
Evelyn and her parents were discharged home despite her mother having little sleep for two days until her baby was born.
At around 1.45am on Wednesday, September 27, the baby was brought into her mother’s bed because she was unsettled.
As she was being breastfed the mother is thought to have fallen asleep.
When she woke up again at around 4am the baby was under the mother’s breast, in an unresponsive condition.
Despite emergency treatment she could not be revived and was sadly pronounced dead at 7.50am at Leeds General Infirmary – the same place she had been born just a day earlier.
Evelyn’s cause of death was recorded as “unascertained”, however the coroner said it is likely the death was caused by the accidental suffocation of the baby by a sleeping adult.
Senior coroner, Kevin McLoughlin, believes that Evelyn’s death could have been prevented had she and her mother not been sent home so soon after the birth.
Mr McLoughlin added that they believe there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless the hospital takes action.
Mr McLoughlin said: “In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your organisation have the power to take such action.”
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been given 56 days to respond to the report with details of action taken or proposed to be taken.
