A six-month-old infant died after their mother, who had consumed two or three bottles of wine, fell asleep while carrying them, according to a study on child protection.
The father discovered the infant’s ‘seemingly lifeless’ corpse between the sleeping mother and the chair arm upon his return from work.
Two days later, despite attempts to resuscitate the kid, they passed away.
Following the terrible loss of her child, the mother, who had a history of ‘chaotic alcohol consumption,’ said that she had consumed up to three bottles of wine and fallen asleep while holding the infant.
In a report provided by the Derby and Derbyshire Children’s Safeguarding Board, the cause of the infant’s death is described.
In a report produced by Derby and Derbyshire Children’s Safeguarding Board, the tragic facts of the child’s death have been revealed.
The investigation determined that Baby A had experienced “preventable harm.”
The assessment showed that Baby A’s mother had a history of substance addiction related to moments of stress, including when she received fertility therapy for her first pregnancy.
The woman, who also had a toddler, had been taking medicine for depression and anxiety between her pregnancies, but stopped when she learned she was pregnant with Baby A.
The audit showed that she told a midwife she did not drink alcohol during her pregnancy, but later said she smoked and drank.
She was again administered medication for anxiety and depression after giving baby.
During checkups, the mother disclosed to healthcare personnel that she was struggling to care for her infant and toddler.
At one time, the mother and her two children were reported missing by the woman’s sister.
Her husband also contacted the police to claim that she had driven under the influence while transporting her young children.
According to the report, professionals ‘confronted’ the mother about the alleged occurrences, but believed what she said about her drinking being ‘in control’
However, the authorities did not conduct a risk assessment despite repeated warnings that the mother’s “chaotic and therefore potentially risky alcohol consumption” posed a threat to the children.
The study found that while Baby A’s father “presented a picture of persistent, heavy drinking” over many years, the picture presented by Baby A’s mother was “very different.”
The audit indicated that professionals should not have taken the “mother’s script” regarding her drinking habits at face value and should have explored more.
It concluded, “Had the information that emerged after Baby A’s death been shared fully beforehand, it could have shaken the confidence of professionals that this baby was safe and led to more aggressive safeguarding measures.”
Poor communication between authorities associated with Baby A and the mother, which allowed hazards to go “unrecognised and underestimated,” was seen as a major failure.
The safeguarding board examined the report to determine how lessons may be learned to prevent future harm.
The investigation showed that between January 2018 and December 2020, five newborns in Derbyshire died due to abuse or neglect.
Six additional small infants sustained life-threatening injuries due to abuse or neglect.
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