Lottie Vince, a seven-pound baby born six weeks early, died at just three weeks old on June 29, 2026, after a sudden cardiac arrest. She was lying on her mother's chest when she took her last breath.
Emergency Birth and Initial Challenges
Lottie was born by emergency C-section at Whiston Hospital on June 2, 2026, after her mother, Abbie Sconce, 39, developed a group A streptococcus infection in her uterus. The infection caused Lottie's heart rate to spike above 200 beats per minute. Within six hours, Abbie went from feeling normal to undergoing surgery.
According to Abbie, from Gateacre, speaking to the ECHO: “The morning before the day she was born I had developed a temperature, I'd got up at 7am, and got kids ready for nursery, as I would any other day, totally fine. By 9am I had abdominal tenderness, but it wasn't too bad. Then around 4pm that evening I had a temperature and was in so much pain I physically couldn't walk.” She was taken to Whiston Hospital at 6:30pm and Lottie was born at 12:50am the following morning.
Initial Progress and Setback
Despite being premature, Lottie initially showed signs of improvement. She was moved to Arrowe Park Hospital at 11 hours old and placed on ventilation inside an incubator. By day five, she was moved from intensive care and only needed oxygen. Her parents were thrilled and prepared to bring her home.
However, the next day, Lottie's condition deteriorated. She turned yellow and bloated, requiring more oxygen and antibiotics. Within 24 hours, her oxygen needs increased dramatically, and she was put back on a ventilator. Doctors diagnosed her with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), causing her heart rate to spike up to 270 bpm. She also contracted enterovirus, which attacked her heart, leading to insufficient blood pumping and respiratory support needs.
Final Days and Passing
Lottie was two weeks old when she was diagnosed with SVT and enterovirus. She was covered in wires and had a defibrillator pad on her chest. Abbie said: “Watching all of that happen was the worst. We already have two kids and if anything happened or if they felt unwell I could make them better, even if they were really unwell I could cuddle them and make them better, but Lottie was too poorly, we didn't even get to hold her for three weeks.”
On June 29, Lottie showed signs of progress, but around 9:10am her heart rate plummeted from 150 to 90 to 70 bpm. Despite an hour of resuscitation efforts, her heart muscle could not continue. Doctors stopped efforts, and Lottie died at 10:30am on her parents' chests.
Fundraising and Gratitude
Abbie and her partner Jonny Vince, 33, are fundraising to thank the staff who supported them. They have set up an online fundraiser to collect donations.
