Newborn Paralyzed and Later Dies Following Midwives’ Dismissal of Mother’s Concerns

A tragic incident unfolded when a baby boy, born paralyzed from the neck down, passed away after enduring a severe brain injury due to oxygen deprivation. The baby’s mother, Robyn Davis, 28, a former midwife herself, experienced alarming symptoms during her labor, including drowsiness and confusion. Despite her repeated expressions of concern to the attending midwives, she was assured that there was no cause for alarm

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Robyn lapsed into a coma shortly after, while her son, named Orlando, was rushed to intensive care. The inquest into the incident revealed that both mother and child were victims of medical neglect, with failures to recognize Robyn’s condition of hyponatremia, a dangerous drop in blood sodium levels. Reported by “The Sun“

Throughout her 16-hour labor, Robyn’s pleas for help were overlooked, and crucial signs of distress were ignored by the healthcare team. This oversight led to Robyn being excessively hydrated, exacerbating her condition. An emergency C-section was eventually performed, but not before Robyn experienced severe convulsions.

Robyn told the Telegraph: Orlando was delivered without a heartbeat and, despite resuscitation efforts, suffered irreversible brain damage. After being transferred to a neonatal ICU, the decision was made to withdraw life support, and Orlando passed away in his parents’ arms, leaving behind a grieving family.

The inquest concluded that Orlando’s death was contributed to by neglect, highlighting missed opportunities for proper medical intervention. The family’s profound loss has been compounded by the lasting physical and emotional impacts, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The Davis family is now pursuing legal action against the NHS Foundation Trust, which has since implemented staff training on hyponatremia but has not issued an apology.