Natural causes kills a baby in Sutton Coldfield

May 1 2009 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

A VERDICT of natural causes has been recorded on an eight-week-old baby found dead in her pram at the family’s home in Sutton Coldfield.

Infant Edith King was discovered by her mother at the house in Clarence Road, Four Oaks, on the morning of November 2 last year, shortly after giving her a feed.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Nick Ostojic, who carried out a post mortem on Edith, told the Birmingham inquest that the cause of death was “unascertained”.

He said: “Since the baby was found in quite an unusual position I have not put the cause of death as cot death, and we cannot say that the baby was asphyxiated because there is no evidence.

“Very often the cause of death in babies is not ascertained because it is not possible to find out what happened.”

Neither parent was called on to give evidence at yesterday’s resumed hearing. But deputy Birmingham Coroner Christopher Ball said that after Edith’s mother had placed her in a pram in a living room, she was alerted by a brief cry.

“Somehow Edith had managed to get herself into a rather unusual sleeping position.”

Edith was taken by ambulance to Good Hope Hospital but died later.

Mr Ball, in recording a verdict of natural causes, said: “It is one of those tragic events that unfortunately happen.”