The parents' pain after the Harlow Hospital failure led to the death of the baby

The parents of a baby who died after five missed opportunities for a caesarean section said that their life had turned into a “continuous role” of grief.

Emmy Russo died three days after she was born in January 2024 in Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex.

A forensic doctor decided that mother Bryony Russo's employees had previously spoken to concerns, it was likely that the newborn would have survived.

Sharon McNally, the main hospital nurse, said she recognized the knowledge of the forensic doctor and added: “We sincerely apologize to Baby Emmy's family.”

She said: “The security of women, babies and families, when they receive maternity care, is our absolute priority and we make sure that learning from an incident is part of our focus on continuous improvement.”

The investigation at the Essex Coroner court heard that Emmy's brain was starving oxygen during labor and causing her catastrophic brain injuries.

This was followed by several warning signs, including Mekonium, the consistency of “toothpaste” in Ms. Russo's waters that were not observed by the hospital staff.

“When we knew that Meconium started showing, I felt that Emmy was too high in my stomach,” Ms. Russo told the BBC.

“I've never had a baby, so it was just an instinct, a feeling that I couldn't get out my baby in this way.”

Ms. Russo said she asked for a caesarean section, but “laughed” and said that he should continue with a natural birth.

Her husband, Daniel, added: “I kept telling Bryony:” Please trust them, they are professionals, so they have their job done. “

“It was a very relaxed atmosphere in the Princess Alexandra, everything was 'not worry, it will be okay'.

“But everything was wrong for a very long period of time and it led to the death of our daughter.”

Mr. Russo said that the employees congratulated him to become a father before he told him that Emmy was “born dead”.

“In a minute I went through the feelings of thinking that everything was fine, confused, heartache,” he added.

Emmy was taken to the Adenbrooke hospital in Cambridge, but died three days later in her father's arms.

Ms. Russo said she lost her work of 10 years and did not leave the house after her daughter's death for four months.

“You lose every way of life that I experience grief is a continuous role of what happened.”

The couple said they finally felt heard after the examination had exposed the failures of the hospital.

The independent expert obstetrician Teresa Kelly informed the court that there was enough evidence: “This baby had not finished with workers” and the employees should have acted earlier.

“It was overwhelming because it was a relief, but then there was so much upset and angry because it was only confirmed that there were so many points that it could have been,” said Ms. Russo.

She claimed that it was “terrifying”, witness to interpret the interpretation of employees guidelines and observing, differently than “on the same side”.

Ms. Russo added: “I really hope that what has happened to Emmy will change the experts involved, but also those who learn in all departments.”

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