Warning: this article discusses a traumatic labour and the death of a newborn which some readers may find distressing.
An inquest into the deaths of a mother and her newborn baby has revealed heartbreaking details about how they passed away.
In June 2024, Jennifer Cahill gave birth to her baby daughter Agnes at home while supported by her husband and two midwives. It is understood the 34-year-old had opted for a home birth after feeling 'unsupported' when delivering her son in hospital three years earlier.
When the couple were expecting their second child, Jennifer decided to give birth at the family home in Prestwich. Jennifer's husband, Rob, previously told the court that the risks of a home birth were not fully explained to them.
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Tragically, Jennifer would suffer complications after delivering Agnes and passed away the following day in hospital.
An inquest taking place at Rochdale Coroners' Court has now revealed the mum likely died from 'multi-organ failure due to cardiac arrest' which had been caused by a 'postpartum haemorrhage'.
Giving evidence at the court, pathologist Lisa Barker said her examination of Jennifer's body revealed fluid in her chest, lungs and kidneys, 'consistent with multi-organ failure', as well as a three-centimetre tear in her vagina.
Barker added that the findings suggested the mother's cause of death was 'multi-organ failure due to cardiac arrest, due to postpartum haemorrhage'.
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The court also heard evidence from two paramedics who were called to the Cahill's family home shortly after the birth.
Senior paramedic Sean Scroop said that he arrived at the home to find one of the community midwives attempting to resuscitate the woman, who was unresponsive after delivery.
According to Scroop, the community midwife had been struggling to resuscitate the newborn due to a fault in her equipment, leading him to take over.
"I moved her to open her airways better. She did take her first breath and she started to pink up nicely," he explained.
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He then accompanied Agnes and Rob to the hospital in one ambulance, adding that he was unaware that Jennifer had begun bleeding.
When asked about Jennifer's condition before her health took a turn, emergency medical technician (EMT) Leah Brennan, who arrived with the two paramedics, said the mum 'looked okay' when they first arrived.
"She was a good colour," Brennan told the court.
"She was engaging with us as much as she wanted to. She looked like a woman who had just given birth, that's the best way to describe it. But not acutely unwell."
Paramedic Adrian George also remained at the home with Jennifer, where he too witnessed the mother's health 'deteriorate'.
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George told the court how Jennifer had become 'lethargic' and lost consciousness while being transported to the ambulance. He was later told by one of the midwives that she had lost around 'two litres of blood' while in the ambulance.
When asked if more observations should've been made regarding Jennifer's postpartum condition, George replied: "Ideally, she should have had more observations, but she wanted us to leave her alone. I was comfortable with respecting her wishes to be left alone."
Baby Agnes would live for a further four days before passing away in hospital, with her cause of death being determined as hypoxia.
The inquest continues.
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Brenna Cooper