Baby's death due to medical misadventure

A verdict of medical misadventure has been returned at an inquest into the death of a full-term stillborn baby girl at Mayo University Hospital.

Amelia Rose Hunt was stillborn at 38 weeks and three days in late December 2023.

Following a lengthy inquest at Swinford Courthouse last week, Amelia Rose's parents Marion and Robert Hunt said their “battle for justice” had been lengthy and difficult.

“We’re totally relieved because we fought so long and hard for this," said Mrs Hunt while clutching a photograph of her deceased daughter. "Amelia deserved justice, because what happened to her wasn't right, and we feel that today has vindicated us and shown that there were things that could have been done.

"And it's been a long time, but we are here now, and we have justice for her, and we fought for that specifically for her because we didn't want this to happen to another family and another baby.

"In 2026 this shouldn't be happening, and we want to make sure that no other family go through this, and we have justice for her.

"She was a perfectly healthy baby girl. No reason why she shouldn't be here, but if this loss prevents other people and other families going through it, it'll have been worth fighting all the way to here, for this."

The couple, who live in the Castlebar area, already had two boys.

In a statement which she read to the inquest, Marion Hunt said she and her husband had invested a significant amount of time, medical treatment, procedures and emotional energy in trying to conceive. After going on IVF treatment, Mrs Hunt said she miscarried but subsequently became pregnant.

“After three years of trying to conceive we were overjoyed to become pregnant," she outlined. ”Our two sons were very excited about the pregnancy. We believed our family would finally be complete."

Foetal death was confirmed on December 27 after heartbeat could not be detected..

The baby was delivered the following day with a short umbilical cord wrapped tightly around her neck and body. Her death was described as a "cord accident". Mrs Hunt had been under the care of Dr Tarig Awadalla, Consultant Obstetrician at MUH. She had complained of reduced foetal movement on three separate occasions in the final weeks of pregnancy and was identified as "high risk".

Dr Awadalla faced lengthy and strenuous cross-examination from Damian Tansey, counsel for the Hunt family.

It was put to the Dr Awadalla that given Ms. Hunt’s older age (43), the fact that it was an IVF pregnancy and given that she had developed polyhydramnios (excessive amniotic fluid), she should have been offered the options of an earlier induction or an elective caesarean section.

Mr Tansey asked coroner Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald for a verdict of medical misadventure stating that nothing was intentional but clearly something had gone wrong.

However, Luán Ó Braonáin, counsel for the HSE and MUH, called for a verdict of death by natural causes saying medical intervention had not caused what was described in court as “a cord accident”.

After returning her verdict of medical misadventure, the coroner recommended increased monitoring for high risk pregnancies from the beginning of induction to labour.

A number of nurses and midwives from MUH gave evidence to the day-long inquiry.

After reading from their statements, they turned to members of the extended Hunt family at the rear of the courtroom expressing in emotional tones their condolences.

Mr Tansey described the care given by the nursing staff to Mrs Hunt as “commendable, admirable and beyond reproach”.

He added: “I have been asked by the family to say this."

• Published in conjunction with the Courts Reporting Scheme.