A couple, Sian Hill, 26 and partner James Tower, 29, are in a legal battle with Darlington Memorial Hospital, UK, after the hospital allegedly turned off their baby’s life support without their consent.The couple claimed the hospital turned off their baby’s life support without their consent after she was rushed to resuscitation following a traumatic birth. Sian said they were initially led to believe she had died when she was being brought to them, and not as a result of her life support being stopped.
The couple got to know only when reading through pathologist reports some months later that the staff had allegedly taken the decision to end life support against their wishes, reports METRO UK.
As a result, the couple consulted medical negligence specialists lawyers Hudgell Solicitors, who investigated the case and alleged the hospital had also been at fault for Ivy’s death by failing to induce Sian at an earlier stage of her pregnancy.
Sian, a support worker, said, “Ivy was taken away and we understood that this was so she could be fully resuscitated.
“We were obviously extremely worried at that stage and I desperately wanted to see Ivy to see how she was doing, but the nurses kept telling me not to worry and that she would be brought back to me once she was breathing properly.
“When we were made aware that Ivy was not responding well to resuscitation and that the life support may need to be switched off both James and I made it very clear to the doctors and nurses that we wanted to see Ivy as soon as possible, and while she was still alive.
“When they brought Ivy into the room she had died and was in a wicker basket.
“They said she had died when they were bringing her to us, no mention of switching anything off.
“It was only when we were reading a pathology report months later that we saw the word ‘extubated’ – which meant they had ended life support – that we began asking questions. We were furious and it was then we turned for legal support.
“She was three hours old when they switched off her life support and in that time we had not been able to see her alive. I never saw Ivy, or held her, or even touched her when she was alive.
“We have been given compensation but that doesn’t bring back our daughter, and they still haven’t apologised.”
“It was only when we were reading a pathology report months later that we saw the word ‘extubated’ – which meant they had ended life support – that we began asking questions. We were furious and it was then we turned for legal support.
“She was three hours old when they switched off her life support and in that time we had not been able to see her alive. I never saw Ivy, or held her, or even touched her when she was alive.
“We have been given compensation but that doesn’t bring back our daughter, and they still haven’t apologised.”