A baby died in a Brighton hospital at just 14 days old after having reached full term in apparent good health.
An inquest is due to open today (Wednesday 6 March) to try to find out how Orlando came to die as his parents seek answers that they hope will prevent others dying.
Robyn and Jonny Davis expect to hear from midwives at Worthing Hospital where Orlando suffered a traumatic birth during the coronavirus pandemic on Friday 10 September 2021.
Orlando was starved of oxygen and his blood flow was restricted during his birth which, a law firm said, was “a result of a number of alleged serious failings and delay by the midwives and doctors responsible for his delivery”.
CL Medilaw said: “Orlando sadly passed away in Robyn and Jonny’s arms on Friday 24 September 2021 at 14 days old due to his catastrophic brain injury.”
Robyn, who has an older daughter, spent three days in a coma after Orlando’s birth went wrong.
The law firm said: “There was an excessive imbalance of fluid intake which went completely unrecognised and caused Robyn to suffer seizures.”
As a result, Orlando had to be delivered by an emergency caesarean section and Robyn placed in an induced coma in intensive care.
The firm said: “During the course of the inquest, the coroner, Penelope Schofield, will hear evidence from the midwives and medical staff from University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust involved in Mrs Davis’s and Orlando’s care to determine how Orlando, an otherwise healthy and full-term baby boy, died under their care.
“The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has also examined the case and will be a party to the inquest.”
CL Medilaw said: “The family have waited over two years for answers as to how Orlando died and have been subjected to continually re-living these tragic events at three pre-inquest review hearings and a last-minute adjournment of the inquest itself during the course of the delay.”
The full inquest is due to start this morning, before a jury, and is scheduled to last six days, having originally been set to be heard in October 2022.
It was delayed on that occasion because the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) announced an independent investigation into the practice of several of the midwives involved in Orlando’s delivery.
Robyn Davis, 28, from Steyning, said: “We have been incredibly distressed by the delay of the inquest considering Orlando passed away over two years ago
“And we still have no explanation as to why my son died and why I ended up in a coma for three days and have been left with chronic ongoing health issues.
“We demand answers as to how a catastrophic chain of failings occurred across both the community and hospital setting within Worthing that day and night with errors involving a minimum of six members of staff.
“Our family want to hear directly from each individual involved as to how and why this happened.
“We hope learning can come from our case and that this does not keep happening to any further families because our lives have been turned upside down and these consequences will be a life time sentence for us.”
Laura Cook, a partner at CL Medilaw, said: “This was a completely normal and healthy pregnancy that ended so tragically.
“While we have not yet heard the live evidence that will be given at the inquest, records seen to date show what appears to be a basic lack of safe maternity care provided by this trust.
“Nothing can ever compensate for the loss of a child and Robyn and Jonny will suffer lasting damage of their own.
“It is hoped that the inquest will provide them with some answers and, in turn, accountability from the trust for what went so badly wrong.
“We are pleased that the coroner is holding a full and open hearing to seek justice for Orlando.
“At CL Medilaw we represent many parents and families that have lost babies at both this and other NHS trusts across the country and we fully support the calls for a wholesale national review of NHS maternity services.”
The senior coroner for West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Penelope Schofield, is holding the inquest at Edes House, in West Street, Chichester.
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On the first anniversary of Orlando’s birth and death, Jonny Davis, 30, ran more than 40 miles to raise money for the Rockinghorse Children’s Charity and the Trevor Mann Baby Unit.
The couple have praised the care that they and Orlando received from neonatal intensive care consultant Catherine Garland and the nursing team at the Trevor Mann Baby Unit.
Jonny, who raised more than £3,000 for new equipment for the unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, said: “Orlando had great nurses and an amazing consultant.
“It helped us feel supported during the most traumatic and dreadful time of ours and Orlando’s lives.”
Previously, Maggie Davies, the chief nurse at University Hospitals Sussex, which runs the Royal Sussex and Worthing Hospital, extended condolences to the family.
She said that the NHS trust was committed to assisting the coroner and the family understand the circumstances surrounding Orlando’s death.
