Description

The role of the police, coroner and judicial system in investigating a cot death. One mother talks of the anger she felt at the accusatory nature of the process that followed the death of her baby.

Transcript

Ann Deri-Brown: It's difficult to come to terms with all the people that are involved, I don't think many people realize that there are certain and unexpected death, the coroner is involved and that will mean that they called in this officer which says that police will arrive. Emma Smith: For this last five hours since we had found Mazie death, we have been in this absolute sort of hideous screaming sort of shocked type, further and suddenly the police come and it's like pouring salt into this huge gash. Dr. Richard Wilson: The system in this country is that the coroner, on behalf of the Crown Queen investigates unexpected death and they have clearly made to do so. But they are particularly looking for non-natural deaths. So that they will want to know from the parents, they will want to know from the medical attendants who has seen them before as to what was going on. Emma Smith: Immediately, you think why are the police here, you are not going to tell me they are here because they think that we've killed her, that I am afraid is what you think, and the police came and you know, I remember they are looking around our room as if to say is that anything untold here. Dr. Richard Wilson: The thought of the post-mortem is very difficult so is the thought of an operation and clearly, the difference is that in one place an operation is being done for the benefits of the live baby whereas the post-mortem is being done for the benefits of the baby who is already dead. But there is still that benefit to be thought about. I think that, it is done respectfully, I think that it is done very carefully and I have the opportunity of speaking virtually every week to parents whose babies have had a post-mortem, not from cot death but from other causes like still birth and so on. And you sit down and you guys are here and I show that how really careful the examination is being, how people are taking to trouble to look in great details so that nothing is missed out, so that they note what everything that's normal, so that there are no queries later on. Now when you can do that, people will say, yeah, well that was actually useful and there are very few parents who subsequently will regret that the post-mortem was done.