Why did baby Sonny die at just three days old?

Baby Sonny died due to catastrophic brain damage and sepsis caused by oxygen starvation, stemming from hospital staff failing to conduct vital monitoring checks on his mother.

What were the key failures in care at Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital?

Key failures included staff not waking the mother for essential observations and monitoring the baby's heart rate, leading to a delay in delivery.

What actions has the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board taken?

The Health Board has issued a formal apology, accepted the investigation's findings, and committed to learning from the tragedy by implementing improvements in maternity care.

Home / Health / Newborn Dies After Hospital Misses Vital Checks

Newborn Dies After Hospital Misses Vital Checks

26 Jan

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Summary

Hospital staff failed to wake mother for vital checks on newborn.
Baby Sonny suffered brain damage and sepsis from oxygen starvation.
Earlier delivery likely would have prevented the tragic outcome.

Newborn Dies After Hospital Misses Vital Checks

A newborn baby boy, Sonny, tragically passed away just three days after birth due to critical failures in maternity care. An internal NHS investigation revealed that hospital staff did not wake his mother, Eve, 29, for potentially life-saving observations and to monitor the unborn baby's heart rate. Sonny was delivered via C-section at Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor, North Wales, in poor condition with a low heart rate.

Sonny suffered catastrophic brain damage and sepsis after being starved of oxygen for a significant period. The investigation found that Eve should have been woken at 10pm on September 29, 2022, for monitoring. Instead, she remained asleep, and a delay in transferring her to the labour ward further postponed Sonny's delivery.

Investigators concluded that had Eve been monitored properly, Sonny's earlier delivery would likely have averted the tragic outcome. The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has since issued a formal apology, acknowledging serious failings in care and accepting the review's findings. They have committed to learning from the incident and implementing necessary improvements to maternity care.