“We just want to know why” say heartbroken couple still searching for answers over death of baby Jacob

A heartbroken couple who are now expecting their second child are desperate for answers following the tragic death of their newborn son over a year ago.
14th June 2019 .....    Copy picture of Paul Swaine from Wyke, Bradford with his first baby, Jacob just after his birth.
Jacob died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary on 5 April last year. Picture Tony Johnson.14th June 2019 .....    Copy picture of Paul Swaine from Wyke, Bradford with his first baby, Jacob just after his birth.
Jacob died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary on 5 April last year. Picture Tony Johnson.
14th June 2019 ..... Copy picture of Paul Swaine from Wyke, Bradford with his first baby, Jacob just after his birth. Jacob died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary on 5 April last year. Picture Tony Johnson.

Yvette Crook, 31, and Paul Swaine, 34, live in Wyke and are over three months into their second pregnancy but are growing increasingly anxious as their due date gets closer after their first baby, Jacob, died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary in April last year.

Yvette’s first pregnancy progressed well with little concern, however a delay in identifying Jacob’s distress during labour and a failure to expedite his delivery led to his unexpected death.

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A Serious Incident Report carried out by the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust responsible for his care highlighted a number of failings, and Yvette and Paul have now instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers to carry out an investigation into what happened.

14th June 2019 .....    Copy picture of Paul Swaine from Wyke, Bradford with his first baby, Jacob just after his birth.
Jacob died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary on 5 April last year. Picture Tony Johnson.14th June 2019 .....    Copy picture of Paul Swaine from Wyke, Bradford with his first baby, Jacob just after his birth.
Jacob died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary on 5 April last year. Picture Tony Johnson.
14th June 2019 ..... Copy picture of Paul Swaine from Wyke, Bradford with his first baby, Jacob just after his birth. Jacob died just five hours following birth at Calderdale Royal Infirmary on 5 April last year. Picture Tony Johnson.

Lauren Bullock, the Irwin Mitchell lawyer representing the couple, said: “Yvette and Paul are both trying to come to terms with what has happened, but it is difficult for them as there are still so many unanswered questions as to what went wrong during Jacob’s birth. Delays by the NHS Trust in providing the information means that an inquest into Jacob’s death is not likely to take place until later this year.

A report detailing the failings which contributed towards Jacob’s death states that “the root cause was found to have been the failure to monitor him during labour.” A total of 10 recommendations are outlined in the report to improve the level of care, which include training for midwives.

A witness statement also concludes that there was a failure to appropriately monitor Jacob’s heart rate during Yvette’s labour.

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Paul said: “It’s deeply upsetting to know that Jacob died following the failings of the hospital, and Yvette and I don’t think it is too much to ask to be given some answers and reasons as to why he was taken from us so soon.

“We were absolutely devastated by the death of our son, and we have learnt that his death was preventable.”