Telford baby death: Hospital staff could have done more
A doctor expressed concerns about injuries caused to a Shropshire baby just weeks before he was killed by his father – but was over-ruled by a senior colleague who accepted the parents' explanation that the boy had caused his own injuries.
The revelation comes in an independent report into the death of 11-month-old Oliver Sargent, from Telford, which was published this afternoon.
Oliver's father Paul Thomas was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court, earlier this year. Oliver's mother Ashlea Thomas, nee Sargent, was cleared of manslaughter and murder, but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child.
The tragic child was rushed to Telford's Princess Royal Hospital on July 27, 2012, after Paul Thomas had made an emergency 999 call to say his son had collapsed and was not breathing. He died four days later, with scans revealing a catalogue of injuries including a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and eyes, fractured collarbone and broken ribs.
The investigation, carried out by independent social work consultant Nicki Pettitt, found that hospital staff could have done more for the child, but stopped short of saying his death could have been prevented.
Miss Pettitt also criticised the hospital's record-keeping, and said that social services needed to improve the way it handled such cases.
The report said that Oliver's mother had taken him to her local hospital on four previous occasions, but on only one occasion did a doctor raise concerns over his injuries.
"One questioned if the injuries could be non-accidental, but another, a consultant accepted the mother's claim that he was a very active child who rolled onto his toys," said Miss Pettitt.
The consultant also recorded that the rash on Oliver's neck was possibly due to vomiting, and that other spots were possibly chicken pox.
Oliver was discharged the same day, but returned two days later suffering from vomiting.
The report said that when Oliver was six months old, a health visitor recorded that the child had recorded that he had suffered some facial bruising.
"The mother explained this was self-inflicted, from head-butting toys and banging toys on his face," said Miss Pettitt.
Follow the findings of the report as it happened here.
