A distressed young mother was shocked to discover her five-day-old baby lifeless in her arms upon waking up. Lydia Pass, 18, found her baby, Arabella Mayer, unresponsive after falling asleep with her in a chair on June 17, as revealed in an inquest.
Arabella was born at the Royal Stoke University Hospital on June 12 and was brought home to Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent, shortly after. Lydia and her partner Ryan went to bed after attending to Arabella at midnight. They woke up at 3 am to feed and comfort the baby before returning to sleep.
At 5:45 am, Lydia woke up to find Arabella unresponsive in her arms, with no memory of picking her up or falling back asleep. Concerns were raised that Lydia may have been suffering from exhaustion due to postpartum complications.
Upon discovering Arabella not breathing, Lydia immediately sought help, and emergency services were contacted. Arabella was rushed to the Royal Stoke, where medical staff managed to revive her heartbeat, but she had been without vital signs for an extended period.
Dr. Sukesh Mohta, a consultant at the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, mentioned the critical time frame for brain survival without oxygen and the challenges faced during Arabella’s care. Despite efforts, the decision was made to withdraw life support.
The cause of Arabella’s collapse remains unclear, with possibilities of asphyxiation due to various factors. Detective Inspector Adam Goodyer ruled out neglect, emphasizing the tragic nature of the incident and the family’s care for Arabella.
Coroner Lindsey Tonks recorded Arabella’s death as a delayed sudden event related to unsafe sleeping practices. She acknowledged the family’s efforts to provide a loving environment for the newborn and expressed condolences for the heartbreaking loss.
