Phoebe-Rose Douglas, 10 weeks old, died after cardiac arrest with tests showing exposure to cocaine, heroin and cannabis – her parents have since admitted child cruelty
A baby who died after being exposed to heroin and cocaine was discovered to have dirt beneath her fingernails and armpits after being rushed to hospital.
Nurses raised concerns about Phoebe-Rose Douglas’ ‘unkempt and smelly’ condition following her arrival at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, an inquest has heard.
Paramedics had been called to an address on Meaford Drive, Blurton, following reports the 10-week-old was in cardiac arrest on the morning of October 25 2019. She was transferred to the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit, but died four days later on October 29, reports Stoke on Trent Live.
A urine sample taken on October 29 revealed a level of cocaine, the inquest heard. Tests conducted on hair samples showed she had been exposed to cocaine, heroin and cannabis.
Parents Rachel Bourne and John Douglas both admitted child cruelty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in 2024. Bourne was jailed for 31 months and Douglas given a 10-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years.
An inquest into Phoebe-Rose’s death is now being held this week at Swann House, Stoke.
The inquest heard Phoebe-Rose was born in Halifax in August 2019, where her father lived. She returned to Stoke-on-Trent a month later with her mother.
The inquest heard that Phoebe-Rose’s parents were both drug users. Several referrals had previously been made to social services before her birth, owing to concerns raised about the family, including one in July 2019 relating to their living conditions. They were subsequently evicted from the property, where drug paraphernalia was later discovered.
Phoebe-Rose missed her first round of routine immunisations and a standard developmental check with a GP, which would ordinarily take place at six to eight weeks of age.
Phoebe-Rose’s mother woke at around 5am on 25 October, picked her up, and discovered she was unresponsive. West Midlands Ambulance Service was immediately called.
The inquest heard that Phoebe-Rose was resuscitated, however scans carried out at hospital revealed she had sustained severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation, and on 29 October the decision was taken to withdraw life support.
Paediatrician Dr Deborah Stalker told the inquest that hospital discharge notes from Phoebe-Rose’s birth showed no signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome – withdrawal symptoms that newborn babies may experience if they have been exposed to opiates while still in the womb.
“But she was a bit of a struggle to feed, reading between the lines of notes”, Dr Stalker added. “There was also evidence that feeding bottles were not sterilised prior to use – that had been observed in hospital.” When Phoebe-Rose was admitted to hospital in October 2019, “she was unkempt and she was unclean”, Dr Stalker told the inquest.
She went on to say: “She was smelly and she had dirty fingernails and feet and creases under arms and neck.”
Dr Roger Malcolmson, a consultant paediatric and perinatal pathologist, was involved in post-mortem examinations conducted following Phoebe-Rose’s death. He described her to the inquest as “relatively small”.
“There was no evidence of external injuries of any significance that would suggest a pattern of physical abuse”, he said.
“Her brain was swollen, which correlates with injury to brain cells and hypoxia (reduced oxygen to the brain). There was no obvious underlying cause. I think the biggest risk factor for this death we can identify from the history is maternal drug use and smoking.”
The inquest continues.
