Mum posted social media video a month before baby’s death

The NSW government announced today a clinical review will be launched into how a mother and baby were allowed to leave a Sydney hospital after an earlier alleged attempt to drown the infant.

The baby boy died in hospital. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

A mother charged with allegedly trying to kill her baby twice before he died in hospital created a lengthy video about depression, a month before his death.

The 30-year-old woman, from Sydney’s northern suburbs, posted the clip on her social media account in late February explaining why she hadn’t been online as often as she previously had.

“I literally couldn’t sleep for days...I was really confused,” she said in the video.

The woman was charged on March 23 with two counts of attempted murder after her 10-month-old son allegedly nearly drowned in a backyard pool, and was allegedly smothered two days later.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, died at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead on March 25, the same day his mother faced Hornsby Local Court and was refused bail.

The boy was taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital after nearly drowning. A review will now probe how he and his mother were able to leave without being discharged.

A clinical review will now be launched after The Daily Telegraph revealed the mother and baby left hospital at 4am without being discharged after the pool incident, less than 36 hours before the alleged suffocation.

Police Minister Paul Toole said: “This situation raises very serious questions as to whether or not that child should have been allowed to leave that hospital with the mother if there was any cause of concern to the welfare of that child.”

“I really think it needs to be further investigated in relation to what information was provided at the hospital”.

A NSW government spokeswoman said Health Minister Ryan Park had been briefed on the incident.

“The Minister for Health and Police Ryan Park has been briefed on this terrible tragedy. Noting the matter is before the courts, it is inappropriate to comment any further.”

Nationals leader and former police minister Paul Toole called for a thorough investigation. Picture: Jeff Williamson

Health Minister Ryan Park has been briefed. Picture: Monique Harmer

“As is the case with all serious outcomes in our health system, Sydney Children’s Hospital Network will conduct a clinical review.”

Police said the woman took her baby for a swim at a friend’s home at Westleigh, in Sydney’s northwest, on March 19, where paramedics were called about 7pm.

The mother and her friend performed CPR on the baby until paramedics arrived and rushed the boy to hospital for treatment and observation.

It is understood the woman and child left hospital and returned to a northern Sydney home with relatives.

About 12.30pm on March 21 the mother called Triple-0 allegedly telling the operator the baby was struggling to breathe.

Paramedics found the baby unresponsive and rushed him back to hospital in a critical condition, where he died two days later.

Detectives from the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad are investigating the child’s death.

The baby was taken to hospital after the alleged smothering but later died on March 25.

Police said the mother’s charges will be upgraded to one count of murder and one count of attempted murder at her next court appearance on May 18.

It comes after NSW Premier Chris Minns earlier said he could not commit to an investigation after the Sydney mother was charged.

When asked if he or the Health Minister would investigate the hospital’s handling of the mum and baby, Mr Minns said he was “not going to comment” on the case for legal reasons, but his Health Minister will “take a report”.

“Obviously this is a serious issue,” the Premier said.

“It’s before the courts, charges have been laid, so I’m not going to comment specifically about that case, but the (Health) Minister will take a report from the department in the coming days.”

A spokesman for the hospital told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday night they had “no comment to make” as to what measures were made to check on the baby’s welfare after he left.

At the family’s home yesterday, a large group of people were seen comforting the baby’s father.

A relative who answered the door said they did not want to talk about the baby’s death.

The mother regularly shared photos of her son on social media, saying he filled her heart with love and referring to him as her “little man”.

Child abuse detectives are still speaking to the woman’s family, friends and hospital staff as part of their investigation into the boy’s death.