Inquest to be held into baby's death at Worthing Hospital

Robyn and Jonny Davis's baby Orlando died 14 days after a traumatic lockdown birth at Worthing Hospital which nearly killed Robyn and left her with life-changing complications.

The couple, from Steyning, are represented by clinical negligence solicitor and birth injury claims specialist Laura Cook from CL Medilaw, who is advising them in relation to the inquest.

The couple’s lawyers will cite an investigation that followed Orlando’s death following his birth on September 10, 2021.

Baby Orlando (Image: Family handout)

Robyn was put in an induced coma in intensive care for several days.

She said she has been left with chronic ongoing health issues and both she and Jonny have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the experience, the couple’s lawyers said.

The 28-year-old said she hopes an inquest into Orlando’s death will uncover the truth about what happened to them and prevent the same thing happening to another family.

Read more: Baby dies two days after being resuscitated in waiting room amid hospital failings

The inquest will open in Chichester today with a jury.

Robyn said: "I almost lost my life that night.

"I now have chronic injuries and we lost our son."

Jonny, 30, said "We have a life sentence where there will never be any recompense for Orlando not being here.

"Most people don't have the emotional endurance to go through this process and I think the system understands that.

Orlando died in lockdown when nobody else was allowed to visit.

"Because it was during Covid, it was only me and Robyn who were allowed to go," Jonny said.

"The only time our daughter got to meet him was for 15 minutes when the vicar who married us was allowed to come in and do a blessing before he passed away."

Robyn said she needed to document Orlando's short life.

"I had that feeling he was going to pass away, so I filmed and took pictures of so many things, even really hard moments when Jonny is crying,” she said.

“I just wanted everything to be captured, so we have quite a few pictures of us holding him."

Chief nurse at University Hospitals Sussex Maggie Davies said: “We wish to offer our heartfelt condolences to Orlando’s family at this hugely difficult time. We will be doing all we can to assist the coroner and the family to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic loss of their baby boy."

The inquest is expected to last six days.