Baby died eight days after Caesarean birth - inquest

A baby boy who died shortly after he was born was the "most precious and perfect" child, an inquest has heard.

Richard George was delivered by Caesarean section at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in December 2024 when his mother, who had maternal diabetes, was 36 weeks pregnant. He died eight days later.

In a statement read out at Blackpool Coroner's Court, his mother Jossymol George, 37, and father, Sajan Thomas, 41, said they had been "over the moon" to be completing their family before the birth of their third child.

But after Richard's birth, they said medics did not make it clear that their baby was seriously unwell and there was "no real urgency" among staff, who seemed "very relaxed".

The court heard the hospital's medical staff were aware that Richard's mother had maternal diabetes and they knew that both her previous children had been delivered by Caesarean section.

The couple explained that they had attended hospital because Jossymol had noticed a reduction in their baby's movements.

The inquest heard that after the birth, the couple were told their baby was unwell and would be taken to neonatal care, but they did not know he was significantly unwell.

They said: "We weren't told he had suffered a lack of oxygen.

"At no point were we told he might have suffered a brain injury."

Midwife, Debbie Gornall, who cared for Jossymol George before the baby's birth, said in a statement that she believed the mother was "high risk".

She said, in her view, a heart scan of the baby before his birth was abnormal, but the registrar on shift did not act.

On the opening day of the three-day inquest, the court heard that Richard was transferred to Royal Preston Hospital for treatment.

It is there his parents had to make the decision to remove intensive care treatment after eight days because he was not improving.

Solicitor Eleanor Rostron, who is representing the family, said they believed Richard's death could have been avoided.

She said he was delivered five hours after the family arrived at hospital.

"His reduced movements and abnormal CTG should have prompted an emergency c-section," she said.

"We believe that Richard would have avoided any brain damage, and would be a healthy baby today, had the hospital acted in a timely manner delivering him two to three hours earlier."

The BBC contacted Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for a comment. A spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment before the inquest concluded.

The court heard the couple were "completely devastated" by their son's death.

They told the inquest their six-year-old daughter carries a doll that she has named Richard and their 10-year-old son writes in his daily diary about his baby brother's death.

Richard was the "most precious and perfect baby boy", they added.

The inquest continues.

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