'Faye’s death was avoidable', Cork mother of newborn who died tells inquest
Christina and Kevin Neiland, from Ballyphehane, Co Cork, at the inquest into the death of their daughter Faye. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins
The mother of a baby who died 10 days after being born at Cork University Maternity Hospital has said “not a day passes by when we don’t miss our beautiful daughter Faye”.
Christina Neiland, of Pearse Road, Ballyphehane, Cork, read out a statement at the inquest into her first-born’s death at Dublin Coroner’s court on Thursday afternoon.
She was speaking following the death of her infant on October 11, 2019, at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin where she was transferred for specialist treatment.
Mrs Neiland, who broke down a number of times, said: “Not a day passes by when we don’t miss our beautiful daughter Faye. In times when it should be the happiest, we miss her the most.
“We think every day of the life she should have had. Never attending her first year of pre-school, learning to cycle her bike and minding her baby sisters.
“Faye’s death was avoidable — we do not want any other baby to be neglected or failed in the way she was in Cork University Maternity hospital.
“Improvements can and should be made to ensure better and safer care at maternity hospitals. We hope that lessons will be learned from the inquest and the investigations and that the recommendations we sought will be actioned, such as improved training and CTG mandated training and CTG monitoring and that policies provide clear and suitable guidance to those we put our trust in to deliver our babies safely.
“Healthy babies and mothers going through the induction process should be able to trust that should complications occur, or the process be required to cease, that those working in a maternity unit will be appropriately trained to act in a timely manner to ensure children are not left with life altering disabilities or no chance of life.
“A million more children will not make up for the loss of our beautiful first born daughter Faye and that loss is one we will never come to terms with.
The Neiland family has said their daughter’s death could have been avoided if the hospital had stricter protocols and policies on how to respond to abnormal heartbeats detected in a baby before delivery.
Over the two-day hearing, the evidence of which concluded on Thursday, the family said they believed there were failures by CUMH staff to recognise and react to abnormal readings from a CTG monitor, which measures foetal heartbeat and maternal contractions.
Earlier, a statement was read on behalf of Cork University Maternity Hospital by David Boughton BL.
The statement said: “Cork University Maternity Hospital would like to extend its deepest sympathies to the Neiland family on the sad death of baby Faye.
“Afterwards, they carried out a general review which acknowledged that a foetal blood sample should have been taken and would have been valuable.
“The review also highlighted the importance of a clinical handover in ongoing multidisciplinary education to increase its awareness of the importance of patient care.
“The hospital acknowledges the concerns raised by the family in this inquest and confirms that the clinical guidelines committee will conduct a review of the hospital guidelines in induction.
“The death of infant Faye was a tragic outcome for the family and Cork University Maternity Hospital would like to repeat its deepest sympathies to Christina, Kevin and the wider Neiland family”.
On Thursday morning, the court heard from Professor Eleanor Molloy and Professor Maureen O’Sullivan who both tended to the child after she was admitted to Crumlin hospital in Dublin.
The Neiland family is seeking a medical cause of death for their baby and the appropriate verdict to be delivered.
They also want a review of the care that was provided to their daughter and are “seeking to gain some understanding” of why she died.
The family’s legal team had earlier been invited to make submissions or observations on any potential “gaps” in the evidence.
Alan Keating BL, on behalf of Ashling Maher Solicitors for the family, told the inquest there are two verdicts open to the court that include medical misadventure and a narrative verdict.
However, the legal team for the hospitals said there is “nowhere near” the information before the court to conclude there was medical misadventure.
Mr and Mrs Neiland, who have subsequently had two other daughters, said on Wednesday they felt pressured by doctors at CHI Crumlin “to agree to let Faye pass” and they criticised the lack of consultation by the hospital on any end-of-life care.
Professor Molloy from Crumlin told the court on Thursday they “were worried they were missing something” because Faye did cry initially on delivery by Caesarean section.
She said the child had “had practically self-resuscitated” when she came out and initially cried and it is “difficult to time the events”.
Both Professor Molloy and Professor O’Sullivan sympathised with the family, whose legal representatives said they wished to convey their gratitude and their appreciation to the doctors.
Coroner Ashling Gannon SC said there was an “extraordinary honest sharing of information for the benefit for all of those seeking to establish the facts” and that there was “significant and complex issues in this case”.
A verdict is due in the inquest on Thursday afternoon.
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