in-cumbria

Inquest hears of Cumbrian mum's final cuddle with one-day-old daughter

By John Connell

Published at 09:08, Friday, 09 November 2012

A one-day-old baby girl died of natural causes but not before she had one last hug from her heartbroken mother.

Doctors battled to save little Isla Christie Tinnion, of Robert Owen Avenue in Cleator Moor but to no avail, an inquest has heard.

She died on January 7 in the West Cumberland Hospital from complications caused by insufficient blood flow to the placenta.

Robert Chapman, the assistant coroner, said there had been nothing doctors could have done and that had she lived she would have suffered “substantial brain damage”.

“She was born on January 6 and died on January 7. This is an extraordinarily sad case: she only lived a day.

“We have heard all the evidence from the pathologist and the doctor who was a consultant and it is clear that there was nothing they could do to enhance her life.

“Had she lived she would have been suffering from substantial brain damage. I’m so sad for you.”

Isla, who was not able to breathe on her own, had been placed in an incubator, ventilated and given fluids.

Doctors than broke the news to Isla’s family that she would need “intensive resuscitation” and would be unlikely to survive.

They also suggested the option of withdrawing respiratory support.

But Isla’s mother insisted that doctors continued with the intensive care to give her a chance. The inquest heard that tests carried at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough confirmed that Isla would not survive.

They stopped her medication and transferred her to the West Cumberland.

Isla was made comfortable and was able to have one last hug from her mother before she died.

The baby’s mother Claire Louise Tinnion, father Spencer Walters and several family members attended yesterday’s inquest.

Mr Chapman closed the proceedings by wishing Isla’s mother good luck with her current pregnancy.

The official cause of Isla’s death was given as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy due to severe perinatal asphyxia due to uteroplacental insufficiency.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk