A coroner has ruled that a newborn baby died after being given an antihistamine by a night nanny, who likely intended to sedate him. The eight-week-old boy was found unresponsive in his bassinet at around 6.15am on January 15 2024, at his home in London. Despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead at 7am.
An inquest heard that the antihistamine chlorpheniramine, commonly known as Piriton, was present in the baby's blood. Professor Fiona Wilcox, coroner for Inner West London, stated that the drug was probably administered by the night nanny to sedate the baby, who was described as unsettled and waking frequently. Expert opinion accepted by the court indicated the drug could have caused or contributed to the death, though it could not be proven it probably did.
The coroner highlighted failures by the Metropolitan Police in their initial investigation. Officers did not examine bathroom cabinets for medication, seize feeding bottles, or search the nanny's property, leading to missed forensic opportunities. The nanny was not arrested or interviewed until October 2024, by which time forensic evidence had been lost. Professor Wilcox noted that police were too easily reassured by the well-presented home environment and did not consider potential third-party interventions such as drug administration.
Professor Wilcox also expressed concern about the lack of national regulation for nannies, as the individual involved continues to work as a nanny and is registered with two agencies. She sent her findings to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, nanny organisations, the National Crime Agency, and the College of Policing, urging improvements in death investigation procedures and consideration of poisoning in such cases.
