Coroner returns verdict on newborn baby who died of hypoxic brain injury at Royal Preston Hospital
Eight-day old baby boy died at the Royal Preston Hospital, following his birth at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, through a a hypoxic brain injury caused by lack of oxygen, a three-day inquest hears.
Earlier delivery of a baby boy who died at just eight days old would have made no difference to the tragic outcome, an inquest has found.
Little Richard George was born to Sajan Thomas and Jossymol George via c-section on December 3, 2024 at Blackpool Victoria Hospital 36 weeks into Sajan’s pregnancy.
After being transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital for specialist treatment, he died there eight days after his birth.
A post mortem by Dr Rajeev Shukla, a consultant perinatal and paediatric pathologist at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children's Hospital, found Richard died of a hypoxic brain injury through lack of oxygen, while there was also evidence of hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, the inquest heard.
He had been born in a poor condition, struggling to breathe with rigid muscles and suffering clinical seizures - indications that he had suffered a severe brain injury, but it was five hours after his mum Sajan Thomas had arrived at the hospital before he was born.
Richard’s parents Sajan and Jossymol George said in a statement at the inquest that medics at Blackpool Vic were aware of the complication of maternal diabetes and that both of the couple’s previous children had been delivered early via c-section to avoid potential injuries.
Despite worrying test results, which were not explained to the family following a second incident of reduced baby movements and an abnormal CTG trace, doctors held off delivering little Richard.
But following the three-day inquest at Blackpool Town Hall, Blackpool and Fylde assistant coroner Louise Rae concluded that earlier delivery of Richard would, on the balance of probabilities, have made no difference to the outcome.
Evidence showed that the hypoxic brain injury - damage that occurs when the brain receives an inadequate supply of oxygen - which proved fatal for Richard had been suffered in the womb before his birth and Ms Rae returned a conclusion of natural causes.
But despite the inquest ruling, Richard’s parents are to go ahead with a claim of medical negligence against the hospital.
The family’s solicitor Eleanor Rostron said on their behalf after the inquest: “Jossymol and Sajan have not only lost their little boy in what we believe were preventable circumstances, but they have also lost the right to have another child.
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“The hospital had a duty of care to save Richard’s life. The obstetric doctor on shift failed to recognise abnormal CTG results in a high-risk mother and quickly proceed to a life-saving caesarean delivery, even when the midwives caring for Richard’s mother were raising the alarm.
“We believe that Blackpool Victoria Hospital not only failed to save Richard’s life but also failed to respect the family’s right to have another child.
“The hospital should have been aware that Richard would be delivered in a very poor condition but proceeded to sterilise Jossymol regardless of this.
“My clients would not have consented to this had they known that Richard had suffered a catastrophic injury.
“The hospital has not learned from mistakes.
“We have been instructed to pursue a medical negligence claim against the Trust.”
The Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was approached for comment.