Premature baby died after neglect at Royal Stoke University Hospital
Mother who named her premature son ‘Champion’ due to his fighting spirit after being born at 24 weeks is left devastated after he died following ‘neglect’ by Royal Stoke University Hospital during laser eye surgery
- Jodie Stubbs from Stoke-on-Trent, has welcomed an inquest which found a series of hospital failings contributed to the death of her baby son
- The tot died aged two months after neglect by Royal Stoke University Hospital
- Jodie went into premature labour at 25 weeks and the tot weighed just 740g
- After Iva had laser surgery the signs he was deteriorating were not picked up
- She was so distraught at his funeral she ‘went back to the grave to dig him up’
A heartbroken mum has welcomed an inquest which found a series of hospital failings contributed to the death of her baby son.
Jodie Stubbs, 37, from Stoke-on-Trent, named her baby son ‘Champion’ because of his fighting spirit, after he was born weighing just 740g at Royal Stoke University Hospital in February 2021.
He came off life support and gained weight every week, and Jodie was confident he would pull through.
On April 8 2021, Iva had laser surgery to prevent him going blind but suffered a rare complication from the procedure. The signs he was deteriorating were not picked up early enough. He passed away the following day following a cardiac arrest.
Last week a coroner ruled that Iva-Jaylon Champion Weekes could otherwise have survived and that neglect contributed to his death.
Mother-of-seven Jodie said: ‘He was a little warrior and that’s why I called him Champion. I was so proud of him, I adored him.
Jodie Stubbs, 37, from Stoke-on-Trent, has welcomed an inquest which found a series of hospital failings contributed to the death of her baby son
She named her baby son ‘Champion’ because of his fighting spirit. But the little tot died aged two months after neglect by Royal Stoke University Hospital
‘After his funeral, I was so distraught that I went back to the grave to dig him up because I couldn’t bear the thought of him being in the ground.
‘It’s a relief to hear the hospital admit their mistakes but it also tears me apart, because I know that my son could and should be alive today.’
Jodie had earlier lost a daughter, Naomi, 20 weeks into pregnancy and so was considered high-risk. But her pregnancy with Iva-Jaylon seemed to go well until, at almost 25 weeks, she went into premature labour.
Iva-Jaylon Champion was born in February 2021 at Royal Stoke Hospital weighing just 740g and was the size of her hand.
Jodie is a mum to seven other children and had previously suffered from another premature birth in 2016
Last week a coroner ruled that Iva-Jaylon Champion Weekes could have survived if he deterioration was spotted sooner
Jodie had earlier lost a daughter, Naomi, 20 weeks into pregnancy and she buried Iva with his sister
Jodie says: ‘He was tiny, but he was a fighter, and he overcame each obstacle. He was doing well. That was why I called him Champion. I took a photo of him every single day of his life.
‘He was gaining weight every week of his life and he came off the life support. I felt sure he would pull through and soon be home.
‘Then his doctor said he needed eye laser surgery to correct sight problems.
‘I didn’t want him to have the surgery because he would need life support afterwards. It felt like a step back to me. But the doctors persuaded me that this was the right thing for him, and that he would be OK.’
Her pregnancy with Iva-Jaylon seemed to go well until, at almost 25 weeks, she went into premature labour
Iva-Jaylon Champion was born in February 2021 at Royal Stoke Hospital weighing just 740g and was the size of her hand
Little fighter: Jodie said he was tiny, but he was a fighter, and he overcame every obstacle, that’s why they called him Champion
On April 8 2021, Iva had laser surgery but suffered a rare complication from the procedure. The signs he was deteriorating were not picked up early enough. He passed away the following day following a cardiac arrest.
Jodie says: ‘In the space of 24 hours, my world fell apart.
‘He was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and I had to follow behind in the car. When I arrived, I had a missed call, and I knew, instinctively, that he was dead. I could feel it.
‘I got to ICU and they told me I was too late. I was heartbroken. I had to go home and tell the children their brother was dead. Because of Covid, they had never even met him.
‘We gave him a Champion’s funeral, in keeping with his name, with a horse and carriage. He was buried with his sister, Naomi, who was born prematurely.
However the baby’s doctor said he needed eye laser surgery to correct sight problems, saying he would need life support afterwards
On April 8 2021, Iva had laser surgery but suffered a rare complication from the procedure and he started deteriorating
‘After his funeral, I was so distraught that I went back to the grave to dig him up because I couldn’t bear the thought of him being in the ground.’
Jodie felt strongly that her son had been failed and made a complaint to Royal Stoke Hospital following his death.
And an inquest this month in Stoke heard there was a catalogue of failings, including no documented evidence that blood pressure checks had been carried out for 15 hours.
The hearing heard that the little boy had been diagnosed with eye problems, which meant he needed laser therapy to prevent him going blind. He was in a stable condition when staff intubated him and took him for the procedure.
Jodie felt strongly that her son had been failed and made a complaint to Royal Stoke Hospital following his death
The signs he was deteriorating were not picked up early enough. He passed away the following day following a cardiac arrest
Jodie said in the space of 24 hours, her world fell apart when her son had to be rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital
But they failed to spot crucial signs that he was deteriorating until it was too late.
North Staffordshire assistant coroner Sarah Murphy ruled his death was due to a very rare complication of laser therapy, contributed to by neglect.
It emerged there had been no documented blood pressure checks for a 15-hour period, no immediate review of the baby’s condition following the surgery, and an abnormal blood gas result wasn’t ‘escalated to medics’.
By the time staff realised he was critically ill, he needed transferring to a specialist centre for emergency surgery.
And an inquest this month in Stoke heard there was a catalogue of failings, including no documented evidence that blood pressure checks had been carried out for 15 hours on the baby
The mum thought she would be able to bring Iva home as he started gaining weight and came off life support before the eye procedure
Iva died shortly after arriving at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in the early hours of April 9.
The catalogue of failings included: ‘No documented evidence that blood pressure checks were carried out between 6am and 9pm. That meant staff thought his raised heart rate was due to pain from the procedure and didn’t see the wider picture. He was given increased morphine and oxygen, yet didn’t improve;
‘No immediate medical review of his condition was carried out when he returned to intensive care;
‘A blood gas reading at 6.30pm was abnormal, with signs of acidosis. Yet concerns were not ‘escalated to medics’ until a second blood gas result at 9.15pm.’
By the time hospital staff realised he was critically ill, he would have died within 30 minutes without urgent treatment.
X-rays confirmed he had a bowel perforation and medics snapped into action.
The hospital arranged to have him transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, in Liverpool, for life-saving surgery.
Jodie’s other children posed by the graveside of their brother Iva which was decorated with white and blue flowers
But the transfer was delayed because the neonatal transport team was tied up with another patient.
Iva was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital instead. He arrived in the early hours of April 9 and died a short while later after a cardiac arrest.
His cause of death was due to bowel perforation and peritonitis, with long-term complications of extreme prematurity.
Royal Stoke consultant neonatologist Dr Lee Abbott, who wasn’t directly involved in Iva’s care, told the inquest there had been clear missed opportunities.
Asked how often blood pressure measurements should be taken, he said in the case of surgery, he would have recommended every ’15 to 30 minutes’.
Although Dr Abbott said the transfer delays wouldn’t have affected the outcome, he has since worked with the transport team to improve the referral process.
They gave him a Champion’s funeral, in keeping with his name, with a beautiful white horse and carriage
Iva was buried in a small blue coffin which was brought to the grave yard in a horse and carriage
Dr Saravanan Jayachandran carried out a review for Royal Stoke following Iva’s death.
He said: ‘The principal finding was there was a failure in recognising the clinical deterioration in the baby early on.’
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is now implementing a 13-point action plan, which includes additional staff training, a new standard operating procedure, and an audit of neonatal cases.
Recording a narrative conclusion, Ms Murphy added: ‘I do find that the failings identified led to, or contributed to, the death.’
Jodie’s young son posed with his baby brothers grave stone which had the words ‘Our Champ’ written across the top
EXPLAINED: PREMATURE BIRTH AND ITS RISKS TO BABIES
Around 10 per cent of all pregnancies worldwide result in premature labour – defined as a delivery before 37 weeks.
When this happens, not all of the baby’s organs, including the heart and lungs, will have developed. They can also be underweight and smaller.
Tommy’s, a charity in the UK, says this can mean preemies ‘are not ready for life outside the womb’.
Premature birth is the largest cause of neonatal mortality in the US and the UK, according to figures.
Babies born early account for around 1,500 deaths each year in the UK. In the US, premature birth and its complications account for 17 per cent of infant deaths.
Babies born prematurely are often whisked away to neonatal intensive care units, where they are looked after around-the-clock.
What are the chances of survival?
- Less than 22 weeks is close to zero chance of survival
- 22 weeks is around 10%
- 24 weeks is around 60%
- 27 weeks is around 89%
- 31 weeks is around 95%
- 34 weeks is equivalent to a baby born at full term
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