Baby dies as mum cried ‘why are they not answering?’ when 999 didn’t respond

A tragic incident occurred when a newborn baby died after her mother struggled to get through to emergency services. According to reports, Amelia Pill waited for seven minutes for someone to answer her 999 call on September 30, 2022. Little Wyllow-Raine Swinburn, born on September 27, 2022, was discharged from John Radcliffe Hospital two days later but sadly collapsed in the early hours of September 30. She experienced a prolonged cardiac arrest, and her family tried to resuscitate her for 40 minutes while waiting for paramedics to arrive at their Oxford home, as revealed during a hearing at Oxford Coroner’s Court.

Senior Coroner Darren Salter adjourned the inquest to gather additional evidence, and a pre-inquest review took place on Wednesday, October 2. When Wyllow-Raine appeared to stop breathing, her mother made a frantic 999 call at 4:38am, but faced a significant delay before the call was answered. The situation led to distress and frustration, with Amelia shouting for help as her family tried to assist. Despite their efforts, the ambulance did not arrive until 5:09am, over 30 minutes after the initial call. Tragically, Wyllow-Raine was pronounced dead shortly after reaching John Radcliffe Hospital.

A post-mortem examination did not identify any abnormalities or rare conditions, attributing her cause of death to sudden unexpected death in infancy, unexplained. Following this heartbreaking event, the Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust conducted an internal investigation. It was concluded that the outcome was unlikely to have been affected by the time it took to answer the emergency call and dispatch the ambulance.

The full inquest is scheduled to recommence on December 2-3, 2024, to further examine the circumstances surrounding Wyllow-Raine’s passing. This devastating incident highlights the importance of efficient emergency response systems and the need for timely and effective medical assistance in critical situations. The family’s grief and loss serve as a stark reminder of the profound impact of such tragic events on loved ones and communities, urging for continued efforts to improve emergency services and support for those in need.