Tiny Charlie Jermyn is being remembered today after an inquest into his death revealed two midwives failed to assist mum, Hayley.
Charlie died of suspected sepsis, a condition where the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs.
Mum Hayley says she was turned away from the Royal Cornwall Hospital after five hours on the maternity ward. She was told she was not ready for labour.
As a result Charlie was born in the toilet at their home in Penryn Cornwall.
But it’s what happened next that has left mum Hayley reeling.
The inquest heard, a midwife who came to visit Charlie in the hours after he was born missed two clear indicators he was unwell.
Charlie wasn’t feeding and was extremely sleepy.
He was also making grunting noises.
Instead of admitting mum and bub to hospital, the midwife failed to act.
Speaking at the inquest, head microbiologist Dr James Gray said Charlie “would probably have survived if he had been born in hospital and had access to treatment.”
Outside the inquest, The Sun reports mum Hayley said: “Charlie had a very invasive infection but he didn’t get given the chance to even try and fight it. Errors were made, wrong judgement calls and all we as a family have left is why?
“If lessons can be learnt so no other family have to walk this path then it is a positive. But nothing will ever make it right, or bring back our beautiful baby boy.
“Not a day goes by where we don’t question why? Why us? Why our baby? Did we miss something?
“Why didn’t I protect him from the illness? Why didn’t I protect the children from witnessing him collapse and CPR?”
About 30,000 people a year are admitted to Australian hospitals with the condition, which kills more than 7500 annually.
According to the Mayo Clinic the symptoms of sepsis are:
Body temperature above 38.3 C or below 36 C
Heart rate higher than 90 beats a minute
Respiratory rate higher than 20 breaths a minute
Significantly decreased urine output
Difficulty breathing
Abnormal heart pumping function
Abdominal pain
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