Mum's Agony: 'Trapped Wind' Diagnosis Preceded Newborn's Tragic Death
A heartbroken mother has revealed how medical staff dismissed her excruciating pain as "trapped wind" just days before her newborn baby tragically died. Kimberley Newark, 32, rushed to hospital while 34 weeks pregnant, only to be told her symptoms were minor gastrointestinal issues.
Catastrophic Internal Bleeding Discovered Too Late
Kimberley attended Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, Sussex, on September 14, 2024, experiencing severe pain, weakness, dizziness and having previously fainted. Despite her clear distress, maternity staff attributed her condition to trapped wind and administered Buscopan alongside pain relief and IV fluids.
The reality was far more serious: Kimberley was actually suffering from catastrophic internal bleeding caused by a ruptured major blood vessel near her stomach. Hospital staff had even instructed her partner, Yann Trupiano, to return home and come back the following day, assuring him Kimberley was in safe hands.
Moments after Yann departed, doctors made the alarming discovery. Kimberley had lost approximately 14 litres of blood, placing both her and her unborn daughter Olivia Trupiano in grave danger.
Emergency Delivery and Tragic Outcome
Olivia was delivered via emergency Caesarean section but was suffering from severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, a condition that develops when a baby's brain is deprived of adequate oxygen or blood flow around the time of birth. The newborn required resuscitation immediately after delivery.
Kimberley was placed in a coma, and both mother and baby were transferred to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. Despite the best efforts of medical teams, Olivia tragically passed away just five days later on September 19, 2024.
Family Devastation and Unanswered Questions
The loss has profoundly affected the entire family. Kimberley, who has two other children aged eight and ten, explained: "This has absolutely devastated us. Our older children have struggled to understand why Olivia is not here with us."
She continued: "We want a clear explanation of why this occurred and why our concerns were not acknowledged. We continuously voiced worries about my worsening condition, but felt ignored and dismissed."
Yann added: "Our daughter died and Kimberley nearly died too – I put my trust in the medical staff. I was told to go home overnight and come back in the morning and believed that Kimberley was in safe hands. Shortly after I left, I was called to say she was having an emergency Caesarean and she was in a critical condition."
Broader Concerns About Maternity Services
The couple's tragedy is not isolated. The maternity services of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust are currently under scrutiny following a review ordered by Health Secretary Wes Streeting. This follows concerns raised by nine grieving families over the deaths of their babies between 2021 and 2023.
Kimberley and Yann expressed that their sorrow was "so much worse" upon discovering other families had suffered similar losses. They have engaged law firm Slater and Gordon to investigate Olivia's care.
Ayesha Hussain, a clinical negligence solicitor representing the family, said: "The loss of Olivia has been absolutely heartbreaking for Kimberley and Yann. The fact that Olivia is one of several babies who died within University Hospitals Sussex's maternity services is deeply concerning."
Official Response and Ongoing Investigations
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust confirmed that two reviews into Olivia's care have been conducted. Dr Maggie Davies, the chief nurse at the trust, told the BBC: "We are desperately sorry for the loss of Olivia, and the trauma and grief we know this has caused everyone in the family."
A coroner's court has previously heard that the family had concerns about the timing of the diagnosis of the ruptured artery. Coroner Joanne Andrews stated she had reasons to suspect Olivia's death was "unnatural" and would therefore conduct an inquest. An initial hearing occurred at a coroner's court in Brighton in July 2025.
The family continues to seek transparency and answers about what went wrong in Olivia's care, hoping to prevent similar tragedies from occurring to other families in the future.
