Parents found baby lifeless in cot as coroner rules she wasn't killed by mould

09 February 2024 , 12:43

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Poplar Coroner's Court in East London

The parents of a baby girl found lifeless in her cot were told the tragedy was not caused by black mould on her walls, an inquest ruled.

Aliyah Cardoso was two months old when her parents put her to bed face down on January 20 last year. When they checked on her for a second time they realised her face had turned red and she was not breathing. They called paramedics as neighbours performed CPR and she was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The next day doctors decided it was in the tiny tot’s best interests to withdraw life support, around 15 hours after her mum found her. Aliyah later died in her father's arms.

Professor Mark Peters told Poplar Coroners' Court he ruled out any unnatural cause and said the death was consistent with sudden infant death syndrome, MyLondon reported. Asked if the way Aliyah was placed in the bed could have contributed to her death, a pathologist said: "It's recommended babies are placed on their back, not on their belly, so it's a risk factor." When asked by the parents if they could have done anything differently, the doctor said they could not answer the question.

Mr Cardoso also gave evidence about black mould at their privately rented home, including in the room where Aliyah slept, which he said they had reported to the landlord on multiple occasions without an offer of professional cleaning. Mr Cardoso said they had treated the mould with spray, but it was persistent and worsened during the colder months due to water ingress from outside.

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Coroner Ian Potter quizzed the pathologist on the possibility of the mould contributing to Aliyah's death, but the doctor said there was no evidence of mould infection in Aliyah's lungs when she died. They said: "It's unlikely to have been a possible contributing factor.”

Giving a conclusion of natural causes, Mr Potter said: "It's totally clear to me on the evidence I have heard, Aliyah was very well cared for by her parents and loved very much." He said it was 'not possible' to determine exactly why or how she died, including the possibility of an obstructed airway.

Mr Potter ruled out a black mould and the milky vomit found by paramedics as possible causes. He added there was no evidence of any failure. He added: "I'm not satisfied the evidence establishes that, and neither is the pathologist."

Callum Cuddeford