A tragic incident unfolded when a distraught mother passed away a mere 14 hours after the death of her five-month-old son, as revealed during an inquest. Viktorija Mardosiene was reportedly in distress, repeatedly uttering “kill me” while rocking back and forth after her baby boy’s untimely demise, believed to be a result of a co-sleeping accident.
Emergency services were summoned to their home in the Midlands, where the 32-year-old mother resided with her infant son, Kevin Deguitas, in the early hours of August 9 last year. Viktorija, a housewife originally from Latvia, had dialed 999 to report that her son had stopped breathing and felt cold.
Medical professionals made every effort to save the baby, but unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Royal Stoke University Hospital. Struggling to cope with her devastating loss, Viktorija sought help at the Harplands mental health unit. Tragically, while undergoing treatment there, she experienced cardiac arrest and passed away at the same hospital where her son had been pronounced dead.
The coroner, Duncan Richie, has opened and adjourned the inquests into their deaths, citing the need for further investigation. At the hearing concerning Kevin’s death, PC Tyler Lowe provided a statement recounting the distressing scene as medics worked desperately to save the young child.
Describing the living room as cluttered with boxes and toys scattered across the floor, PC Lowe revealed that paramedics struggled to establish an airway for Kevin and had to insert a tube into his mouth and throat. When they approached Viktorija to gather information, she responded that she did not speak English. They maintained a distance from her but observed her conversing on the phone with the baby’s father, anxiously inquiring about their child’s fate. Overwhelmed with emotion, she began to cry.
According to DC Craig Flowers from Staffordshire Police’s child protection unit, the house in Dunkirk, Newcastle-under-Lyme, was found in a state of disarray. DC Flowers informed the inquest that Viktorija was sleeping in a double bed and empty alcohol cans were discovered in the bedroom. Viktorija, who was breathalyzed at the scene, recorded a level of 40mg/ml, exceeding the legal limit for drink driving, which is 35mg/ml. It is worth noting that she was understandably distraught, displaying intense emotions by screaming, shouting, and rocking back and forth, expressing her desire to be killed. Past concerns about domestic issues had been raised, and there had been previous contact with emergency services involving the couple.
During the inquest, Consultant Paediatric Pathologist Dr. Roger Malcomson discussed the findings of the post-mortem examination conducted on Kevin. Dr. Malcomson noted that there were no significant internal or external injuries, and the baby’s physical development was within average ranges. No abnormalities or metabolic issues were detected in his organs. Mild congestion and small hemorrhages, commonly encountered and challenging to attribute to a specific cause, were observed. In the absence of a specific medical explanation, the doctor concluded that the baby’s death occurred while co-sleeping with a parent, highlighting the risks associated with such sleeping arrangements, including overlaying, hypothermia, and airway obstruction. Due to insufficient evidence pointing towards a definite cause of death, an unascertained cause was considered.
During the inquest into Viktorija’s death, it was revealed that she had voluntarily admitted herself to Harplands, where she complained of chest pains. Tragically, later that afternoon, she suddenly collapsed and was pronounced dead at 3:53 pm, a mere 14 hours after the passing of her son, Kevin.
