Image source, Google Maps
Francesca Purssell was four months old when she was discovered critically ill
- Author, Josh Sandiford
- Role, BBC News, West Midlands
- Four-month-old Francesca Purssell died last year after becoming critically ill while sharing a bed with her mother
- Toxicology reports revealed her mother had taken drugs and drunk alcohol
- An ambulance service error meant it took paramedics 25 minutes to reach the family home
- A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive
A mother admitted taking cocaine and drinking alcohol before her baby daughter unexpectedly died after sleeping in her bed, an inquest has heard.
Francesca Purssell was four months old when she was discovered critically ill at a property on Colesbourne Road, in Solihull, on 2 April 2022.
She died at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham later that morning.
An inquest on Wednesday returned an open verdict, with senior coroner Louise Hunt unable to record exactly how the youngster died.
The inquest heard the baby’s mother, Lesley Purssell, who was not charged with any offence, had been socialising with friends on the evening of 1 April.
Ms Purssell’s guests left about 23:30 BST and she went to bed shortly afterwards, the hearing was told.
The mother told police she woke at about 04:00 and took Francesca out of a Moses basket to feed her.
She then fell asleep with her daughter lying on her chest, possibly because she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, the inquest heard.
Face down
The hearing was told Ms Purssell, who had separated from Francesca’s father, was woken up by her new partner three and a half hours later.
The man, who had been sleeping downstairs, could not see Francesca in her Moses basket and drew back the bed covers to find the baby cold, blue and face down on the mattress.
Eleanor MacKenzie, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, told the court medics were immediately called.
But she explained that human error while a call handler gave CPR instructions had led Ms Purssell’s address to be inputted wrongly.
Paramedics did not arrive until about 25 minutes later.
Ms MacKenzie added that as Francesca’s cause of death was unknown, the ambulance service could not say whether a faster response might have changed the outcome.
Toxicology reports
Det Insp James Edmonds from the West Midlands Police said Ms Purssell was arrested on suspicion of child neglect after a multi-agency investigation was launched.
A visit by forensics officers found the baby’s home conditions were messy but not to a neglectful standard, the officer said.
Det Insp Edmonds added that Ms Purssell had agreed to a blood sample being taken and told officers she had been drinking orange gin and lemonade before falling asleep with Francesca in her bed.
She was reinterviewed in November 2022 and presented with toxicology reports before further admitting to taking cocaine the night Francesca died.
Det Insp Edmonds said the case was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service but there was insufficient evidence to charge Ms Purssell.
Following evidence from Dr Roger Malcomson, a consultant paediatric and prenatal pathologist, Ms Hunt said intoxication and an unsafe sleeping environment were known to be risk factors in children dying suddenly.
But the coroner said there was no evidence to prove the cause of Francesca’s death, adding that other potential causes could not be excluded.
She added that the post-mortem examination was inconclusive and recorded an open verdict.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
