Family hoping for answers into tragic death of Luton mum and her newborn daughter

A double inquest into the tragic death of a young Luton mum and her one month-old baby girl has heard how doctors fought to save their lives.
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28-year-old Rochelle Lyle suffered a brain haemorrage and went into cardiac arrest at Luton & Dunstable Hospital on March 25, 2017, while 26 weeks pregnant with daughter Imaani.

After being found unresponsive in her hospital bed, doctors performed an emergency caesarean in a bid to save Imaani, and Rochelle was later rushed to the specialist neuroscience unit at Addenbrookes Hospital, where she sadly died the next day.

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Tragically, Imaani also died at Luton & Dunstable Hospital on May 4, 2017.

Rochelle’s parents Laurie and Sally and other family, attended Ampthill Coroners’ Court for the first day of the inquest, where the evidence of five doctors, a senior midwife and a hospital domestic was heard.

The inquest was told that Rochelle had a long history of migraines dating back to 2004.

The young woman had yearned to be a mum and after two miscarriages, she was suffering anxiety about her health and taking every precaution while pregnant with Imaani.

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She was admitted to the L&D on referral by her GP on March 20 after suffering headaches and high blood presure. Although doctors found her blood pressure to be normal, she was treated for the headaches and suspected sepsis, and her condition was said to be stable although the headaches continued.

On the morning of March 25, a hospital domestic and her daughter – who worked as a housekeeper - found Rochelle’s mother outside her room, distressed that it had not been cleaned after her daughter had been sick.

After cleaning the room, the two women helped feed Rochelle, who was described as “drowsy” and struggling to eat, and went back to their duties.

Just before lunchtime, the domestic returned to check on Rochelle and found her lying unresponsive with her nose running.

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After alerting medical staff, attempts were made to resuscitate Rochelle before an emergency caesarean was carried out in Rochelle’s room.

She was then taken to theatre where the rest of the operation was carried out. A CT scan revealed an abnormality in the brain and she was transported to Addenbrookes that evening.

Rochelle’s condition was found to be unsurvivable and she died the following day.

The inquest continues,

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