The coroner heard how the 7-month-old baby died just days after he was found face down in a bath water. Thus, she issued a stark warning to parents to be vigilant with their babies and not to leave them unsupervised.
The inquest into the death of Alex McCartney recently took place. The baby who died in January 2015, just days after his family found him face down in bath water.
Alex's mother, Joanne Pedlow told the court that it was January 17 last year when the tragic incident occurred at their family home in Co Armagh. While in tears, she said she placed her youngest child into the baby bath seat beside his 2-year-old sister, Lily. She said the seat was secured to the bottom with suction cups.
Then, she left the room to boil a water when she heard her brother, Richard and his partner, Nicky came in. Hence, they talked for about a minute. Eventually, they heard Lily crying, so they quickly went up the stairs. "Nicky went into the room first, then Richard, but I didn't go in, and I heard Nicky squealing," she recounted to the court.
Ms. Pedlow then said her brother quickly called for an ambulance and the medical team told them to start CPR. So, she called her neighbor for help and they made desperate attempts to resuscitate Alex.
The family then rushed Alex to Craigavon Area Hospital. However, the child never regained consciousness and four days later, he died to his mother's arm.
The court heard that Alex died from cerebral hypoxia, pneumonia and probable drowning. Thus, Coroner Suzanne Anderson expressed her heartfelt sympathy to Alex' family.
"This has highlighted the important issue for parents about the dangers posed when a child is left unsupervised for a short period of time and even in the shallowest of water," the coroner added according to the report of Belfast Telegraph. "Hopefully, this message will serve to spare the agony this family has had to endure."
