Nikolas Clarke acted for the local authority in an inquest into the death of SC, a 14-week-old baby. SC was living with foster carers when she died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Background to the inquest
SC was born in February 2021, the local authority applied for an interim care order which was granted. A few days after her birth she was placed with foster carers.
In May 2021, SC’s foster carers placed her to sleep in a prone position on a mattress which was not flat. Her cot contained various soft toys and the temperature of the room where she slept was more than 20 degrees C.
In the early hours of the next morning, her foster carers found her unresponsive and attempted CPR. An ambulance was called however resuscitation efforts were stopped that day.
The inquest
At the 4-day inquest, the assistant coroner considered whether the sleeping arrangements had made a material contribution to SC’s death.
He looked at factors and identified responsibility for those missed opportunities to implement safe sleeping arrangements for her.
Coroner’s conclusion
The coroner gave a medical cause of death that SC had died due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
He concluded that Article 2 was not engaged and that it was not possible to ascertain whether sleeping arrangements materially contributed to her death.