Cork University Hospital death of mother and newborn in hospital ward is under investigation

The newborn baby of a woman who was found dead lying on the floor of Cork University Hospital has also passed away.

It is believed that the baby’s mother suffered a medical episode in her room early on Monday morning when breast feeding the baby and fell from the bed, trapping the baby beneath her.

She had been checked at 7am by nursing staff and all was well with her and her baby but when a medical team came on its rounds at 8am, it was  found she had fallen from the bed with her infant.

Doctors immediately tried to resuscitate her but she was pronounced dead some time later, while they also worked to try and stablise the infant who had been in a critical condition.

CUMH described the woman’s death as “ a tragic occurrence”. Doctors are hoping a post-mortem examination will establish the precise cause of her death.

The baby  boy died yesterday evening.

One line of investigation is that she suffered a medical episode as she was breastfeeding her baby, which caused her to fall from her bed.