Inquest opens in Cavan General baby death

The mother of a newborn baby died following childbirth at Cavan General Hospital in May 2014 has told an inquest into his death that she believes her son’s life could have been saved if certain things had been done differently by medical staff during her pregnancy and labour.

Baby Conor James Whelan from Drumrora, Ballyjamesduff, died on May 14, 2014, a little over seventeen hours after he was born. The inquest into his death opened in courtroom number 1 in Cavan Courthouse this morning (Monday) shortly after 10am.

Conor’s mum Siobhan was the first witness to give evidence by before Cavan County Coroner Mary Flanagan.

Siobhan (40) read her own deposition into the Coroner’s Court record. The mother of three said that she also had two miscarriages. Conor was her fifth pregnancy.

She attended Cavan General Hospital in September 2013 for a scan, was told everything was well, and was given a due date in early May 2014.

She said she attended ante natal appointments at the hospital in October and again in November and at all times, she was informed that everything was 'normal'.

In March 2014 she was referred for a detailed ultrasound, when the baby was 33 weeks and five days, the details of which found a query regarding a 'low lying placenta'.

She was informed that that time that a consulatant would carry out his own 'internal scan' and most likely direct an elective caesarean. That scan never occurred.

On May 13, 2014, Siobhan told the inquest that she arrived at Cavan General Hospital, in labour, at 1:40pm. She was nine days overdue and requested a C-section. Her waters were broken artificially against her wishes, after which she Siobhan was rushed to theatre where a C-section was eventually carried out.

 

Conor was born 59 minutes after Siobhan was admitted to hospital 'in poor condition'. He was transferred to the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Siobhan too was in a critical condition due to blood loss.

Conor was later transferred back to Cavan and died surrounded by his family on May 14 at 07.27am.

Siobhan said that she and her husband have “serious questions” about how this happened to Conor.

The Whelans expressed a hope that their son’s death will lead to much better care for women in similar situations in future.

“We are his only voice now,” said mum Siobhan.

She said that Conor’s death had “changed our lives forever” and all she wanted to do was “cuddle, caress and care for my baby”.

Conor’s father Andrew Whelan also gave evidence to the inquest this morning, supporting the deposition of his wife. He described the delay in caring for wife “like a carry on film, except this isn’t funny”.

Some medical personnel are due to give their evidence this afternoon.

A jury of three men and seven women are in place and the inquest is expected to take up to three days.