Phoebe-Rose Douglas, 10 weeks previous, died after cardiac arrest with exams displaying publicity to cocaine, heroin and hashish – her mother and father have since admitted little one cruelty
Royal Stoke College Hospital
A child who died after being uncovered to heroin and cocaine was found to have grime beneath her fingernails and armpits after being rushed to hospital.
Nurses raised issues about Phoebe-Rose Douglas’ ‘unkempt and smelly’ situation following her arrival on the Royal Stoke College Hospital, an inquest has heard.
Paramedics had been known as to an handle on Meaford Drive, Blurton, following stories the 10-week-old was in cardiac arrest on the morning of October 25 2019. She was transferred to the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit, however died 4 days in a while October 29, stories Stoke on Trent Stay.
A urine pattern taken on October 29 revealed a stage of cocaine, the inquest heard. Exams carried out on hair samples confirmed she had been uncovered to cocaine, heroin and hashish.
Dad and mom Rachel Bourne and John Douglas each admitted little one cruelty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Courtroom in 2024. Bourne was jailed for 31 months and Douglas given a 10-month custodial sentence, suspended for 2 years.
An inquest into Phoebe-Rose’s loss of life is now being held this week at Swann Home, Stoke.
The inquest heard Phoebe-Rose was born in Halifax in August 2019, the place her father lived. She returned to Stoke-on-Trent a month later together with her mom.
The inquest heard that Phoebe-Rose’s mother and father had been each drug customers. A number of referrals had beforehand been made to social providers earlier than her start, owing to issues raised in regards to the household, together with one in July 2019 regarding their dwelling circumstances. They had been subsequently evicted from the property, the place drug paraphernalia was later found.
Phoebe-Rose missed her first spherical of routine immunisations and an ordinary developmental test with a GP, which might ordinarily happen at six to eight weeks of age.
Phoebe-Rose’s mom woke at round 5am on 25 October, picked her up, and found she was unresponsive. West Midlands Ambulance Service was instantly known as.
The inquest heard that Phoebe-Rose was resuscitated, nonetheless scans carried out at hospital revealed she had sustained extreme mind injury resulting from oxygen deprivation, and on 29 October the choice was taken to withdraw life assist.
Paediatrician Dr Deborah Stalker informed the inquest that hospital discharge notes from Phoebe-Rose’s start confirmed no indicators of neonatal abstinence syndrome – withdrawal signs that new child infants could expertise if they’ve been uncovered to opiates whereas nonetheless within the womb.
“However she was a little bit of a battle to feed, studying between the strains of notes”, Dr Stalker added. “There was additionally proof that feeding bottles weren’t sterilised prior to make use of – that had been noticed in hospital.” When Phoebe-Rose was admitted to hospital in October 2019, “she was unkempt and he or she was unclean”, Dr Stalker informed the inquest.
She went on to say: “She was smelly and he or she had soiled fingernails and toes and creases below arms and neck.”
Dr Roger Malcolmson, a marketing consultant paediatric and perinatal pathologist, was concerned in autopsy examinations carried out following Phoebe-Rose’s loss of life. He described her to the inquest as “comparatively small”.
“There was no proof of exterior accidents of any significance that will recommend a sample of bodily abuse”, he mentioned.
“Her mind was swollen, which correlates with damage to mind cells and hypoxia (lowered oxygen to the mind). There was no apparent underlying trigger. I feel the most important danger issue for this loss of life we will determine from the historical past is maternal drug use and smoking.”
The inquest continues.
