Express & Star

Tragedy as baby dies after spending night in bed with parents

A four-month-old baby died after spending the night in bed with his parents and brother, an inquest heard.

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Walsall's Manor Hospital

Joe Onufer-Balaz was discovered cold and unresponsive by his mother, Jana Onuferova, at 4am on June 9.

The baby's father, Andraes Bolaz, performed CPR while an ambulance was called but Joe was later pronounced dead at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Miss Onuferova told the Black Country coroner the family would sleep together in a bed at their flat in Jones House, between Penkridge Street and Lewis Street near Walsall town centre.

The inquest heard Joe was later found to have four fractured ribs which a pathologist calculated were sustained between 48 hours and "a few weeks" before his death.

West Midland Police had investigated the death but DI Pete Rowe said there had been no signs of bruising and there would be no further criminal action.

There was also evidence Joe had DiGeorge syndrome and was missing his thymus gland which could have affected his immune system.

Coroner Zafar Siddique reached an 'open conclusion.'

He said: "While I can understand Joe had got DiGeorge syndrome the exact mechanism of death is unclear to me.

"While the condition may have been a contributory factor in his death it is a very complex medical condition.

"So for those reasons I will leave it as an open conclusion. I can't on the evidence know the mechanism of how the death occurred."