A couple whose newborn daughter died 15 days after her birth have settled High Court actions against the National Maternity Hospital over her death.
The court on Friday was told of the settlement of the actions over the death of baby Linnea Henon Hesselius five years ago.
Doireann O’Mahony, the family’s counsel with Dr John O’Mahony, told the court that the loss of their first child had a devastating effect on Linnea’s mother and father, and they lost faith in the Irish healthcare system.
“Such was the loss of their faith in the Irish healthcare system that they relocated to Barcelona, Spain, for the birth of their second child,” counsel said.
Judge Leonie Reynold, who offered her condolences to the couple on the death of their “beloved first child”, said it was a travesty that they lost faith in the Irish health system.
Linnea was born on October 6th, 2021.
When she was born, after 27 weeks and five days’ gestation, Linnea weighed 755g. She was 15 days old when she died after developing necrotising enterocolitis, a severe gastrointestinal condition.
Paulina Hesselius Soremo, who now lives in Sweden, and Frederico Arca Henon, who now lives in Barcelona, had sued the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin, over the death of their daughter.
Counsel told the court the parents’ separate actions for nervous shock over the death of their daughter had been settled on confidential terms. All the settlements are without an admission of liability.
In the proceedings, it was claimed the hospital allegedly failed to identify the mother was at increased risk of pre-eclampsia and allegedly failed to prescribe low-dose aspirin.
It was further claimed there was an alleged falling below a reasonable standard of care and allegedly significant, avoidable, irreversible and devastating harm had been caused.
It was claimed Linnea’s death had left a void in the lives of her parents and they said their lives would never be the same again.
All of the claims were denied and the National Maternity Hospital contended the obstetric care and the antenatal care provided was appropriate and consistent with an acceptable standard of care for an Irish maternity hospital in 2021.
The hospital said an adequate risk assessment for pre-eclampsia was performed.
Judge Leonie Reynolds noted the settlements and the division of the statutory €35,000 mental distress payment.