Open verdict on baby’s death

A coroner has recorded an open verdict on a four-month-old baby who died while sleeping in her parents’ bed. Olivia Perkins’ parents today spoke of their shock at the verdict.Glen and Louise Perkins say that it means they will never know why their daughter Olivia died.

Olivia, who was born on July 18, died at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on December 2 after her parents awoke to find her “limp and lifeless” following a restless night because she was teething. They had taken Olivia into their bed for the night because she was restless.

Mr and Mrs Perkins, from Coton Mount, Shrewsbury, described the death of Olivia, who was their sixth child, as “soul destroying”.

Mrs Perkins, 32, said they were led to believe Olivia died from sudden infant death syndrome and there was “no reason to believe otherwise”.

She said: “With an open verdict we don’t know why and will never know why we lost our little girl who was a perfectly health baby.”

At an inquest at Shrewsbury Magistrates’ Court yesterday Mid and North Shropshire Deputy Coroner Patrick Gittens recorded an open verdict as the pathologist had said the cause of death was unascertained.

The inquest heard how police made a thorough investigation and found no suspicious circumstances surrounding the baby’s death while a post-mortem examination found no signs of external or internal injury.

The couple are expecting another child in September and said they would not do anything different this time, except for being more aware of sudden death infant syndrome.