Mother whose baby died 12 hours after birth recalls ‘worst day of our lives’

The mother of a newborn baby who died in her arms 12 hours after birth said what should have been the happiest day of her life turned into the worst day.

Fiona Tuite and Ivan Murphy from Drogheda, Co Louth, as well as other family and friends, were at the inquest into the death of their son Evan at Drogheda Coroner’s court on Tuesday.

A verdict of medical misadventure was returned and the inquest heard how there were six attempts made using either a forceps or vacuum cup to deliver the baby.

Baby Evan died some 12 hours later in his mother’s arms.

Last year, the High Court heard he suffered a fractured skull and a significant brain injury.

On Tuesday, after her deposition, or statement, was read out during the inquest, Ms Tuite said she wanted to say something else.

“What should have been the happiest day of mine and Ivan’s life was absolutely the worst day of our lives,” she told the Coroner.

It is just over a year since Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda apologised to Evan’s parents after a High Court action.

The High Court had heard the circumstances of his delivery in June 2012 were “quite horrific”.

The hospital denied liability until November 2017.

On Tuesday, the inquest heard the cause of death was severe external and internal cranial and brain injury and haemorrhage due to a difficult instrumental delivery.

Ms Sara Antoniotti BL, for the family, said she believed the appropriate verdict was one of medical misadventure. She said there were six different pulls on the baby’s cranium as he was being delivered.

The inquest heard the baby was due on the June 1st, 2012 and Ms Tuite was induced on June 13th. After an 11-hour labour it was decided to use a forceps to deliver the baby.

Between 6.16am and 6.29am, the doctor used forceps, then a vacuum cup and then forceps again to deliver the baby.

He was born at 6.29am and taken to the special care unit.

At 10.30am he had to be resuscitated and the inquest heard he died that evening, some 12 hours after birth.

Returning the verdict of medical misadventure, Coroner Ronan Maguire expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the parents and it was a very difficult time for them.

Speaking afterwards, Ms Tuite said the inquest confirmed what she and Mr Murphy already knew.

She said she had a “textbook” pregnancy. “I flew through the pregnancy.” She said the couple had everything ready for their son. “The nursery was ready, the clothes were ready,” she said.

She carries a photograph of Evan in a locket around her neck and said the trauma of the process she and Mr Murphy had to go through “is horrendous.”

Asked how she would remember her son she said: “I would rather him to be with me, not to be ‘remembered’, I’d like him to be here.”

However, she said he “is remembered” and would never be forgotten.