Baby-death heartbreak

A HEARTBROKEN couple have told how the daughter they had always wanted died at only three weeks old.

Delcey Renee Navin was born almost two months prematurely at the Royal Oldham Hospital last October.

The sick baby was moved to the region’s neonatal unit in Liverpool after suffering seizures. After receiving palliative care in the final days of her life, she died back in Oldham on November 3.

An inquest heard yesterday that Delcey died of brain damage, due to lack of oxygen and blood supply during pregnancy.

But parents Charly Cooke and Tommy Navin wanted to know why they were not told there was a problem until she was two days old — or why scans didn’t identify the problem.

Mother-of-three Charly (25), of Tinwald Street Clarksfield, said: “We were just told she was fine.”

Her partner added: “It was two days later, she was having seizures in the night but we did not get told until the morning.

“When they came and told us they basically said they were fighting for her life. After two days of being all right, she suddenly went down hill. Why did they not tell us she was having these seizures?”

Two of Miss Cook’s three sons were also born prematurely, without problems, but she suffered high blood pressure and bleeding while pregnant with Delcey.

Concerned medical staff decided to deliver the baby early by Caesarian section, because it had a low heart beat. Medical notes recorded difficulties immediately after delivery.

Consultant paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbold, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said the brain damage may have been caused by a metabolic disease, which is difficult to detect after death, or high blood pressure during pregnancy.

“We know that something serious, fundamental, has happened to her. We know it must have happened at least weeks prior to the delivery and maybe sooner,” explained Dr Newbold.

Scans didn’t look for this type of problem, she said.

Recording a verdict of natural causes, coroner Simon Nelson urged the couple to contact the hospital trust to discuss their questions.

Speaking after the inquest Miss Cooke said: “Delcey was just the girl we always wanted.”