A devastated couple whose newborn daughter died after hospital staff dismissed the mother's life-threatening internal bleeding as "trapped wind" have demanded urgent answers and transparency from the NHS Trust involved. Kimberley Newark, 31, and her partner Yann Trupiano are seeking justice following the tragic death of their baby Olivia just five days after her birth.
Critical Symptoms Misdiagnosed
On September 14, 2024, when she was 34 weeks pregnant, Kimberley Newark attended Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, Sussex, experiencing excruciating pain. Maternity staff attributed her symptoms to trapped wind, administering Buscopan alongside pain relief and IV fluids. In reality, Ms. Newark was suffering from massive internal bleeding after a major blood vessel near her stomach had ruptured.
Partner Sent Home During Emergency
Hospital staff even told Mr. Trupiano to go home overnight and return the following day. Shortly after he left, doctors discovered the ruptured artery causing a life-threatening loss of approximately 14 litres of blood. Olivia was delivered via emergency Caesarean section and required immediate resuscitation as she was suffering from severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy - a condition where a baby's brain doesn't receive sufficient oxygen or blood flow around birth.
Transfer and Tragic Outcome
Ms. Newark was placed in a coma, and both mother and newborn were transferred to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. Despite the best efforts of medical teams, Olivia died just five days later on September 19, 2024. The family's grief has been compounded by learning that other families have experienced similar tragedies within the same maternity services.
Family's Anguish and Determination
Speaking at a pre-inquest hearing, Ms. Newark expressed her anger about the dismissive treatment they received. "We need to get answers as to why Olivia died, why I was dismissed and Yann - that it actually got to that stage," she said. "We were 100 percent dismissed and looking back in hindsight it actually makes me so angry to see everything that's so clearly obvious."
The couple have instructed clinical negligence solicitors Slater and Gordon to investigate Olivia's care and plan to take their fight to civil courts to prevent similar tragedies affecting other families. "We want to fight for change to make sure this doesn't happen to other families because ultimately it's been awful for us and still is," Ms. Newark added.
Broader Investigation Underway
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust maternity services are currently under investigation following a review commissioned by Health Secretary Wes Streeting. This comes after nine bereaved families raised concerns over baby deaths between 2021 and 2023. The couple said their grief was made "so much worse" by discovering other families had experienced similar losses.
Impact on Family Relationships
The trauma has profoundly affected the entire family, including Ms. Newark's two older children, aged eight and ten. "This has absolutely devastated us," she explained. "Our older children have struggled to understand why Olivia is not here with us and they are so young to have to try and process something like this. It has also had a huge impact on our relationship as we attempt to grieve for our daughter."
Trust Response and Ongoing Process
A University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust spokesperson confirmed that two reviews of Olivia's care have been conducted. Dr. Maggie Davies, chief nurse at the trust, stated: "We are desperately sorry for the loss of Olivia, and the trauma and grief we know this has caused everyone in the family. But we absolutely understand that nothing we can say can change the intense sense of loss they feel."
Mr. Trupiano emphasized the importance of thorough investigation: "We don't want that to take years. We can start to get closure once this is completed. But I think it's important to take as much time as is needed to make sure that it's properly investigated."
Legal Support and Demands
Clinical negligence solicitor Ayesha Hussain, representing the family, said: "The loss of Olivia has been absolutely heart-breaking for Kimberley and Yann, and they have so many unanswered questions over what went so wrong in the care they received. The fact that Olivia is one of several babies who died within University Hospitals Sussex's maternity services, whose deaths are subject to many questions, is deeply concerning."
The couple continues to demand transparency and clear explanations about why their concerns were repeatedly ignored during Ms. Newark's deteriorating health. They join other affected families in calling for accountability and systemic change within maternity care services.
