Liverpool mum and baby die during childbirth in Spain after being denied C-Section

A pregnant mother and her baby died in a Spanish hospital after she was left to bleed out for more than five hours, an inquest has heard.

Kelsey Brown, from Liverpool, was being treated at the Hospital Ceram, a private clinic in Marbella, where she was denied a C-section despite being in "horrendous pain."

The 34-year-old hairdresser had moved to Marbella in December 2020 while pregnant with her second child.

Kelsey paid for the private clinic "to ensure the best treatment for her and her unborn child" when she arrived in the country.

However, when the mum went into labour on 20 July 2021, a scan revealed her baby had died in the womb.

At an inquest into her death at Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool, Coroner Andre Rebello said: "Kelsey was advised she couldn't have a caesarean or epidural and she would have to give birth naturally."

At 1:30pm, Kelsey began losing blood, and was in "horrendous pain" according to her sister and partner.

Despite her pain, she was denied a C-Section and at 4:30pm gave birth to a baby boy called Tom.

After giving birth, it was discovered Tom had "the cord wrapped around his stomach and arm (which) had stopped him feeding".

After giving birth Kelsey's condition continued to worsen, but there was no blood in the clinic and a transfusion had to be brought in from another hospital.

The blood did not arrive until 6:45pm, more than two hours after Kelsey gave birth.

Mr Rebello said: "She was bleeding profusely... Kelsey was given injections continuously through the birth which caused her to lose consciousness, and then Kelsey became unresponsive. Hospital staff couldn't find a pulse from her finger."

At 7:15pm that night, Kelsey was pronounced dead - but the coroner said "she may well have died later".

Kelsey's mum Maria Brown said: "If she had had even a caesarean early on, it would have helped. If they had blood in the hospital. She was bleeding from 1.30pm.

"She was bleeding until 7 at night. And what were the injections that they were giving her, knocking her out and bringing her round? That's what we need to know."

Mr Rebello said her death and the childbirth complications were "clearly linked", but was unable to make further findings due to a lack of evidence.

He said: "Kelsey died following childbirth of baby Tom in Marbella, Spain. The circumstances of Tom's delivery are unclear and remain subject to a Spanish investigation.

"The only conclusion I can come to is an open conclusion as the evidence doesn't support what's happened.

"The Spanish authorities will hopefully make findings to get justice for what has occurred."

Mr Rebello said a post-mortem examination had taken place in Spain, but the results were "withheld".

Spanish authorities are conducting an investigation into what happened at Ceram hospital in Marbella.

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