Coroner unable to find cause of death in Stoke-on-Trent baby exposed to monkey dust
An inquest has heard the seven week old was found in cardiac arrest in 2019
A coroner has been unable to confirm how a baby from Stoke-on-Trent died.
An inquest, held over the last few days, has heard how Ronnie Higginson had been exposed to monkey dust.
The seven week old died after going in cardiac arrest at a relative's home on Derwent, Cobridge, in 2019.
Ronnie's parents both failed to get medical attention for him in the days leading up to his death, with both later convicted of child cruelty.
Kayleigh Clarke and Michael Higginson were jailed for 27 months and 15 months, respectively.
Written statements from Ronnie’s relatives and a friend of the family, which were read out at the hearing, revealed that they had raised concerns about his health in the days before he died and urged his parents to take him to a GP or walk-in centre. They said his symptoms had included a cough and breathing difficulties.
But Ms Clarke had said he “seemed better” on the day before his death. And she “didn’t want to walk up to the walk-in centre for nothing”, the inquest heard.
At the time of his death Ronnie was subject to a child protection notice, which had been put in place in the same month he was born. And his mother had not revealed she was expecting him until she told a social worker she was 30 weeks pregnant.
A referral had been made by Staffordshire Police after concerns were raised about drug use in the home, the inquest was told. Agency social worker Helen Hawkins, who left the council in October 2019 just five days after Ronnie was born, said she was “taken aback” by the conditions the family lived in at their home in Mulgrave Street, Cobridge, and they were among the worst she had seen in her 16 years of child protection work.
She reported her worries to senior members of the children’s services team and said the situation should have been escalated to legal advice in her opinion. But it was the view of senior management that the family should be given the opportunity to engage with services.
The family’s case was later handed to newly-qualified social worker Abigail Sumner, who had joined the authority just days earlier. In her statement, read out at the inquest, she said the case should have been given to a more senior social worker and she was tasked with telling Ronnie’s siblings that he had died.
“When I first started I was not given a full background of their history, just given the case after a brief conversation in the car after meeting the family”, she said. “I had only been employed for a week by Stoke-on-Trent children’s services.
“The parents had bad feelings about social services, they kept saying they were being harassed by social services and police. I tried to build a relationship with them.
“They were not engaging, I would try to arrange meetings but they would not attend."
son said: “Following the tragic death of Ronnie Higginson and in accordance with statutory guidance, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Board undertook a Rapid Review. The lessons from this Review have been applied across all agencies to ensure children are protected now and in the future.
“Stoke-on-Trent Safeguarding Partnership remain committed to promoting good quality inter-agency working to protect the wellbeing of children and young people within the city.
“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Ronnie today.”
Staffordshire Area Coroner Emma Serrano recorded an open virdict.