Baby Monitor Volume Locked? Coroner Urges Safety Change

A senior coroner is advocating for mandatory loud volume settings on baby monitors to prevent future infant deaths. This call follows the tragic passing of Ismaeel Islam, an infant with Down's Syndrome, who died on March 7, 2025, at the Royal London Hospital. Ismaeel's condition worsened significantly, but the failure to recognize his distress was attributed to his monitor alarm being set too low to be heard. Additionally, his cot had been positioned out of the direct line of sight of the nursing staff. The inquest determined that immediate recognition and appropriate treatment of Ismaeel's deterioration, which occurred on November 3, 2024, could have saved his life. A Prevention of Future Deaths report has been issued to Masimo UK, the monitor manufacturer, highlighting the need for safety improvements regarding alarm audibility and default settings.