South Staffordshire coroner to lobby MPs after baby tragedies
A coroner was today preparing to lobby government ministers over the tragic problem of nappy sack deaths after hearing the harrowing case of a baby who suffocated in his cot.
It came as nursery leaders admitted they were unaware of dangers connected with bouncer chairs, revealed at a separate inquest on another baby.
South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said he would be investigating the prominence of warnings on packaging on nappy disposal bags as he concluded an inquest into the death of seven-month-old Maison Amison.
The tragedy happened on March 7 at the family home, in Lomax Road, Hednesford, after Maison's mother Beth fed him at 7.30am.
Less than two hours later, she found the infant lying on his back with a plastic nappy sack across his face. His father attempted to revive him with the kiss of life, but Maison was later certified dead at Stafford District Hospital.
The inquest heard that the child slept in a traditional wooden cot with spindles and would have been able to to fit his hand between the gaps and reach the packet of nappy bags.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Haigh said: "I will consider sending a report to the relevant government department if I find that warning signs are not prominent enough. This was a terrible sequence of events."
Black Country coroner Robin Balmain heard the inquest of two-month-old Scarlett Bowers. who was found unresponsive at home, in Meadow Walk, Cradley Heath, on January 24 and was later pronounced dead at Russells Hall Hospital.
Pathologist Dr Beata Hargitai from Birmingham Women's Hospital told the hearingScarlett had symptoms of a cold before she died.
She said that a bouncer chair was an 'unsafe sleeping position'. The cause of the baby's death was bronchial pneumonia.
Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, Mr Balmain said: "It appears it is not safe to allow a young baby to sleep in a bouncer chair, particularly if there is a suggestion that the baby is suffering from a cold. This is not a criticism of the family in this case, it is important for other families to be aware."
Jackie Lawrence, who runs St Hilda's Baby Group at St Hilda's Church Hall in Abbey Road in Oldbury, said she was shocked to hear of the dangers. "We do not have any bouncer chairs at our baby group, it's up to the parents if they want to bring them," she said. "It's not something I have ever considered. I did not think there was any risk with them."
