Baby’s mystery death while parents attended Ed Sheeran Concert

Esme Brotherton was being cared for by her aunt while her parents attended an Ed Sheeran concert when she suddenly became “blue”.

A five-month-old baby tragically died while sleeping on a sofa with her aunt as her parents went to an Ed Sheeran concert.

Esme Brotherton was found “blue and lifeless” after she fell asleep at the home in the English city of Manchester in May 2018.

The five-month-old was later pronounced dead in hospital – despite efforts by her aunt and paramedics to revive her.

Tests were unable to establish a cause of the tragic death, however, a coroner has noted the dangers that come with co-sleeping and infants.

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Baby Esme Brotherton with mum Heather Brotheron. Picture: Cavendish Press

Babysitting aunt’s horrifying discovery

In May 2018, her parents Shaun and Heather Brotherton went to an Ed Sheeran concert – while aunt Danielle Brotherton offered to look after the child at her home.

An inquest heard little Esme had been born 19 days early by emergency C-section – but after being treated for jaundice, she was allowed home and got into a regular pattern of feeding and eating.

The aunt had fallen asleep with Esme in her arms, before waking up to realise she was “blue and lifeless”.

Mrs Brotherton, an office manager, said she “couldn’t think straight” when aunt Danielle called and told her Esme wasn’t breathing.

She had been at the concert with Mr Brotherton and his mum, and had arranged for Esme to stay with her aunt for the night.

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Esme’s parents Shaun and Heather Brotherton. Picture: Cavendish Press

“Shaun received a phone call from Danielle to say Esme wasn’t breathing, and we had to go to Wythenshawe hospital as soon as possible,” Mrs Brotherton said.

“I couldn’t think straight. We got straight into the car and drove to Wythenshawe hospital A&E.”

The aunt Ms Brotherton told the hearing Esme had been fed twice but was teething and crying.

“I don’t remember going to sleep, but the baby fell asleep too and I woke up in the same position,” she said.

“Esme was just laid down on top of my arm, on her back and heard my son crying upstairs for a bottle. I left her lying down on her back and was literally seconds but when I came back I noticed Esme’s lips were a funny colour.”

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The little girl was left on the couch for a brief moment by her aunt. Picture: Cavendish Press

Ms Brotherton said she picked up Esme “straight away” but the baby was unresponsive so she called for an ambulance.

“The emergency call handler told me to do CPR and I put the phone down to do CPR on Esme. I followed it as best I could and the next thing, the paramedics were there,” she said.

Forensic pathologist Dr Naomi Carter, who carried out a post mortem examination on Esme, said, “Attempts had been made to feed Esme with her bottle, but she wasn’t taking very well so she was placed in a travel cot to see if she would settle.

“Because she would not, Danielle Brotherton put her on the couch with her. Initial reports at the time were that she had fallen asleep and woke up at 1am and found her lying next to her, blue and lifeless.”

Dr Carter said Esme was “well nourished” and “appeared in good health” with no medical evidence available as to what caused her death.

Mum Heather was at an Ed Sheeran concert. Picture: Cavendish Press

“In our opinion, death, in this case, is best described as unascertained,” she said.

In response to the opening findings, coroner Nigel Meadows said Ms Brotherton had only been gone a “very short period of time” when the tragedy occurred.

“She turned on the light and then noticed that Esme was not looking as she did when she last held her,” he said.

“Danielle did try to carry out resuscitation on instruction from the emergency services. On arrival, paramedics continued to try to resuscitate her before taking her to Wythenshawe Hospital.”

Mr Meadows said he accepted Dr Carter’s findings that there was no clear medical reason for her death.

“I accept Dr Carter’s evidence, that there did not seem to be any congenital abnormalities,” he said.

“Infants do die suddenly without any reason, and sometimes, without any issue with co-sleeping or sofa sharing. But it is correct that it is recognised now that co-sleeping or sofa sharing is associated with the deaths of infants in particular.”

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission