Hospital apology for care deficiencies after baby's death

Detailed summary

A hospital has apologised in court to the parents of a baby boy who died 30 days after his birth.

A hospital has apologised in court to the parents of a baby boy who died 30 days after his birth.

The apology from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda in Co Louth was read to the High Court as the parents of baby Kayden Brogan Mullen settled their action against the HSE.

The letter from the CEO of the hospital, Priya Madhu, said the hospital recognised the loss of Kayden had a profound and devastating effect on the couple and it apologised for the deficiencies in care that occurred.

The action was taken by Kayden's parents, Keira Brogan and Richard Mullen from Carlanstown in Kells in Co Meath.

The court heard Ms Brogan’s pregnancy was identified as high risk, and she had attended the hospital for scans and reviews.

On 18 February 2022, Ms Brogan went to the hospital with reduced foetal movements. The plan was to admit Ms Brogan for observation and for a CTG trace, which monitors the baby’s heartbeat, to be repeated twice a day.

A decision was made to discontinue the CTG trace before midnight but the next day the baby was documented as having regular foetal movements and there was a plan for the mother to be discharged home with a review in a week.

A decision was made to carry out a caesarean section and Baby Kayden was delivered, but after birth he went into respiratory distress.

He was transferred to a Dublin hospital at 23 hours old. There, the baby had a scan, and his parents were told he was unlikely to survive. He was discharged home for palliative care, and he died on 23 March 2022.

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