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Baby's Death Spurs Hospital Overhaul
2 Feb
Summary
- Huxley Bowes died three days after birth due to medical complications.
- Parents allege cascading medical errors during labor and delivery.
- Huxley's death led to systemic changes at Grey Nuns Hospital.
Huxley Bowes was born at Edmonton's Grey Nuns Community Hospital on December 9, 2017, but tragically died three days later from complications, including hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, following an 18-minute resuscitation. His parents, Alicia Bowes, a nurse, and Julia Bowes, a surgeon, have shared their son's story following the conclusion of investigations and a wrongful death lawsuit. They allege a series of medical errors led to Huxley's compromised condition going untreated for hours.
Regulatory investigations resulted in admissions of unprofessional conduct from the involved medical professionals, including Dr. Jacqueline McCubbin and nurses Erin Kutz, Mary Sylla, and Nicola Kenwell. Covenant Health, the hospital agency, also issued a formal apology. Although the defense denied negligence, stating it was a complicated labor, records and investigations pointed to overlooked fetal distress signals and improper interventions.
In the wake of Huxley's death, Grey Nuns Hospital implemented significant changes. These include relocating the antepartum unit, enhancing fetal health monitoring protocols, and improving communication between medical staff and patients. Covenant Health officials acknowledged these improvements in a November 2018 letter, expressing hope they would prevent future tragedies and provide some comfort to the family.
