'They arrested us and then took our children' - Couple wrongly suspected over death of baby tell of ordeal

These are the words of heartbroken Naomi Stamps who was wrongly under suspicion by the police along with her partner Dean Baker of causing the death of their nine-month-old son.

Jude Stamps died after suffering significant health problems having being born prematurely as one of triplets.

Suspicion fell upon Jude's parents, from Kidderminster, after he was found to have suffered several bone fractures in the weeks before his death. But experts concluded Jude had weakened bones due to his condition and the injuries were highly likely to have been caused by routine handling.

At an inquest held at Stourport Coroner's Court, the coroner concluded he died of natural causes.

Miss Stamps and Mr Baker, who attended the inquest in Stourport with Jude's triplet sisters Leah and Melody, said they had not been able to grieve for their son because of the upheaval caused by the police investigation. The family has lodged a complaint with West Mercia Police.

Miss Stamps, aged 32, of Westcott Road, said: "We haven't had an apology. We're angry, they should have found out he had weak bones. Yet they came to my house, arrested us and took away our children.

"I still can't get over it."

She said the memory of Jude would live on through his triplet sisters. "They have taken my mind off everything," she said.

Jude weighed just one pound when his mother Naomi, from Kidderminster, gave birth to triplets 29 weeks into her pregnancy.

There were immediately complications with his health and he suffered with respiratory problems and chronic lung distress.

However, there was a glimmer of hope for parents Naomi Stamps and Dean Baker, 43, when Jude was discharged from hospital and allowed to go home in January last year where he received oxygen. But his condition deteriorated and he was in and out of hospital over the next few months until an ambulance was called the family home on May 18 after he suffered cardiac arrest, the inquest heard. He passed away at the Acorns Children's Hospice in Worcester on June 20. Jude's body was initially examined. He was found to have a fractured left and right thigh bone and a fracture on his shoulder. 'Irregularities' with a lower leg bone were also found.

West Mercia Police launched an investigation following the findings, with both parents questioned and their other children removed from their home over fears they could have caused the injuries.

But medical experts decided the injuries were caused by normal handling, either by the parents or hospital staff, due to him being born prematurely and his poor health, and that force would not have needed to be inflicted for him to sustain the fractures. Worcestershire assistant coroner David Reid said the post mortem had been carried out by Doctor Alexander Kolar, an 'experienced osteologist'.

He added: "He examined the bones and concluded that ultimately, on balance, Jude had weakened bones and the damage occurred during normal handling."

Mr Reid gave the official cause of death as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy – brain damage caused by loss of oxygen – and cardiac arrest caused by complications of prematurity. The coroner concluded: "In this particular case, given the findings of the medical experts and other evidence I have heard I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Jude Stamps died of natural causes."

West Mercia Police's Helen Blake said: "The loss of a child is a tragic event and West Mercia Police offers their sincere condolences to the family of Jude Stamps following his death. We can confirm that we have received a complaint regarding the police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Jude's death, and it would be inappropriate to comment further."