When Amanda Hurndall’s uterus ruptured and the oxygen supply to her unborn baby was cut off, she underwent an emergency Cesarean section. Even though he was resuscitated upon birth, baby Ellis was born with brain damage and cerebral palsy.
He had to be fed through a tube and it was unlikely he would ever hear, see, or be able to move his arms and legs. Just 10 months later he passed away from pneumonia. The coroner ruled that neglect at the London hospital during the birth in 2005 contributed to Ellis’ later death.
Though the hospital underwent a major review and has now changed many of its procedures, Amanda and Stuart Hurndall have started legal action. An inquest found that Ellis’ heartbeat had not been monitored properly during his birth and drug guidelines had not been followed.
Coroner Simon Nelson said the lack of fetal heart monitoring was a ‘failure’ on the part of the hospital, and was quoted in a UK paper as having added, “But for that failure his life would have been prolonged.”