Huddersfield coroner Roger Whittaker criticises Kirklees social services following Milnsbridge baby death
A CORONER has criticised social services after a sleeping father accidentally smothered his newborn baby.
A Huddersfield inquest heard how Andrew Greenoff, of Hope Street, Milnsbridge, fell asleep in bed with baby girl Mia Tessa Greenoff–Davies lying on his chest.
When the baby’s mother, Nicola Davies, woke up, she saw her four-week-old child lying with her head facing down into the pillow.
When she picked her up she noticed a trickle of blood was running down baby Mia’s face.
Mia was rushed to hospital but died later died that day, on July 19 last year.
The inquest heard how Mia’s parents were both heroin addicts and had been prescribed methadone to help them kick the habit.
They were being closely monitored and medical staff were concerned whether or not the couple would be able to look after the baby properly.
Nicola’s other two children by another father are being looked after by her aunt, after Nicola feared her drug habit was spiralling out of control.
When Nicola fell pregnant again, with Mia, she was closely monitored by specialist drug liaison midwife Janet Woodhouse.
Ms Woodhouse told the inquest concerns had been raised by staff at the hospital where the mother and baby were being cared for after the premature birth.
She said: “Both Nicola and Andrew were not always aware of the baby’s needs.
“There were issues around co-sleeping in the hospital as Andrew did once fall asleep face-to-face with the baby on his chest.”
Ms Woodhouse said hospital staff couldn’t wake Mia’s father, Andrew, and thought the methadone might be making him unresponsive.
He was told never again to sleep with the baby in this way.
Coroner Roger Whittaker asked Catherine Harrison, community manager for Kirklees Council, why Mia had been allowed to go home with her parents.
Health staff had suggested Nicola and her baby might benefit from a £23,000 12-week mother and baby course in Leeds to assess their needs day and night.
But Ms Harrison said it was about “a balance of risk” and it was decided the couple would be able to cope with Mia.
She said it was arranged that a health professional would call at the house to check up on them each day.
Coroner Roger Whittaker recorded a verdict of accidental death from asphyxia.
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