PARENTS SENTENCED OVER BABY'S NEGLECT DEATH
Phoebe Douglas died in October 2019, after being found “pale and floppy”, with paramedics describing seeing “frothy blood” coming from her nose and mouth as she was being taken to hospital.Rachel Bourne, 34, who lived in Stoke-on-Trent at the time of Phoebe's death and now lives in Yorkshire, was jailed for 31 months after admitting child cruelty.
John Douglas, 39, who now also lives in Yorkshire, was sentenced to 10 months, suspended for two years after pleading guilty to the same offence.
In a victim impact statement, Phoebe's grandmother said: “There is a constant pain in my heart when I think of Phoebe that will be there for the rest of my life.” Bourne and Douglas had an on-off relationship, the court heard, and Douglas was elsewhere when the baby collapsed on 25 October 2019.
When paramedics arrived at 05:45 GMT, the baby was in cardiac arrest and taken to the Royal Stoke Hospital.
The court heard how, after the baby was taken to hospital, Douglas was in a state of distress, and asked medics if they believed in miracles.
Phoebe had suffered severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen, and she died after life support was withdrawn on 29 October 2019.
Urine tests later identified cocaine and heroin in the baby’s system, and traces of the drugs in her hair.
Toxicology reports indicated she had ingested the substances either by inhalation of smoke or dust, or by coming into contact with surfaces where the drugs were present.
The court heard Douglas had admitted during police interviews that he and Bourne smoked illegal drugs while the baby was in the house.
