Family of woman who died in CUMH 'just want answers'

Geraldine Yankeu died 11 days after the the stillbirth of her daughter Mary in CUMH in August 2021.

The family of a young mother who died at Cork University Maternity Hospital after giving birth say they just want answers as to why she died.

Geraldine Yankeu died 11 days after the the stillbirth of her daughter Mary in CUH in August 2021.

The family of 31-year-old Cameroon native have welcomed the fact Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn will not now hear the inquest into her death following a legal challenge in the High Court. 

Ms Yankeu’s brother Romuald told the Irish Examiner the family were pleased with the outcome of their court challenge.

“I am not concerned about the wait [for the inquest to proceed] as my main concern is to find out what happened, why she died.

“We want to improve the system for the next person. I don’t care how long it takes — we want the answers.” 

He described Geraldine as a “soft person with a good heart” who would do anything for anyone and said his family have been left shocked by her death.

Her family's legal team are now asking the Attorney General for directions on how the inquest should proceed after the High Court hearing. 

Objective bias

At that hearing, it emerged the Cork City Coroner consented to a declaration there was a reasonable apprehension of objective bias on his part because he initially made a decision not to hold an inquest into the death. 

The court heard the coroner also consented to an order quashing his decision last February to schedule or proceed with the inquest into the death of Ms Yankeu and her stillborn baby girl Mary last April.

He has now stepped aside from hearing the inquest.

Under the Coroners Act 2019, inquests are mandatory in cases of maternal deaths. 

In August last year, the Irish Examiner was told by the Cork City Coroner’s office that the deaths of both Ms Yankeu and her daughter Mary “were treated as natural and no inquest was required”.

However, four days later, a statement from the office said: “Baby Mary Yankeu’s death was treated as a 'Natural Death'."

'Unprecedented situation'

Now, her family’s legal team have requested the Attorney General for directions in the “unprecedented situation”, “given the coroner has agreed to ‘step aside’ and there is no legal provision for another coroner to ‘step in’".

The family’s legal team will highlight in correspondence to the Attorney General that there is nothing in the Coroners Acts to outline what should occur in a situation such as this, where a coroner stands aside.

The team will also raise the “great deal of time and money” which has gone into the process to date.

Barrister Doireann O’Mahony said the team hoped important lessons could be learned and added the case would be a “force for necessary change” in the coronial system.

Letters will also be forwarded to Justice Minister Helen McEntee and Cork City Council in relation to last week’s development.