Inquiry begins into death of baby at Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow
A fatal accident inquiry has begun into the death of a baby girl at Scotland's superhospital.
Sophia Smith was just 11 days old when she died at the Royal Hospital for Children at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus on 11 April 2017.
The newborn became ill with an infection similar to MRSA, which developed into sepsis.
Police Scotland previously carried out an investigation into Sophia's death, alongside other fatalities at the hospital campus including leukaemia patient Milly Main, 10, who died after a catheter became infected when she was in remission.
In 2020, Sophia's case was handed over to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and a decision was made not to bring criminal charges.
However, a spokesperson from COPFS previously said this could be reversed if more evidence emerged.
Last year, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC said the circumstances of Sophia's death gave rise to "significant public concern" to justify a fatal accident inquiry (FAI).
The inquiry got under way at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday, with Sophia's parents seeking answers as to why their daughter died.
Speaking on behalf of Theresa and Matthew Smith, their lawyer said: "It has been a long road to get to this milestone that we have reached today.
"We are pleased that a fatal accident inquiry has been finally set up and hope that by the end of this process we will know the truth about our daughter and why her life was so tragically and heartbreakingly cut short."
The FAI is expected to examine the circumstances of Sophia's death, with a particular focus on what role infection played, and the standard of care and communication.
Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature, and are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame.
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