Parents’ battle finds truth about death of baby son

Oliver Joel Veron died at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital. He had entered the world by footling breech birth at home just 23 hours before.

His birth had been complicated and within a few hours, parents Jonny and Jenna Veron said they were told by doctors that they should choose whether they wanted their baby to die in their arms or in an incubator.

They pushed for an inquest into his death and, after various expert reports were commissioned, they discovered that there could have been other treatment options available.

‘It was harrowing to learn from each of the reports after Oliver had died that there were potential treatment options following his birth which were never relayed to us,’ Mrs Veron told the court.

‘Holding our son as he died in our arms, finding the strength to leave him with the midwives and walk out of the hospital with empty arms and broken hearts is something that will haunt us our entire lives.’

The couple said they hoped that the Health & Social Care Committee had recognised the serious concerns raised in the independent medical expert reports and would genuinely act to reduce the risk of similar events occurring in future.

Regardless of the outcome of the inquest, Mrs Veron said they now had the truth.

‘We shall think of our son and cherish the precious day that we spent with him, and try to leave behind the despair over the battle that has transpired over the last seven and half years.’

The inquest opened in August last year when 33 witness statements, along with expert reports commissioned by the Law Officers, HSC, and the General Medical Council were submitted. It was adjourned indefinitely when the court sought further clarification on points including the impact of medical decisions on Oliver’s care.

Mrs Veron told the hearing how she and her husband had fought for independent medical expert reports to be obtained.