Baby girl died just five hours after she was sent home from hospital

Three-month-old Alexia Carnall- Cotterell had already stopped breathing twice when she was taken to Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

But, after being examined by two nurses and a doctor, Alexia was sent home at 2am.

Just five hours later, paramedics were called after she stopped breathing again, an inquest was told. They were unable to revive her.

Alexia’s mother Nikki Carnall, 20, said that when Alexia woke the day before her death, February 14 last year, she was making a rattling sound with her breathing and was unable to feed properly.

The Sheffield hearing was told she took Alexia to a city centre walk-in GP practice where Alexia was diagnosed with “a little virus” and prescribed antibiotics .

A few hours later, Alexia stopped breathing at her grandmother’s home in Arbourthorne. While Miss Carnall waited for a taxi to take her to hospital she stopped breathing again. Alexia was taken to hospital, examined and discharged at 2am.

Miss Carnall, from Batemoor, Sheffield, told the hearing: “I hoped they would admit her to keep an eye on her overnight.

“She had stopped breathing already and I was worried it would happen again.”

Miss Carnall took Alexia back to her mother’s home but, shortly after 7am, woke to find her daughter had stopped breathing.

Paramedics were called but she had gone into cardiac arrest.

Pathologist Dr Marta Cohens said the main cause of death was bronchitis and pneumonia, but said she would not normally expect the infection to kill an infant.

She said risk factors associated with sudden infant death syndrome may have contributed to Alexia’s death. The inquest has been adjourned until next week.