'Our four-day-old daughter shouldn't have died — we don't want anyone to go through what we have'

ITV News

21-07-2025

"It wasn't meant to happen."
Those are the words of parents who lost their four-day-old daughter following a "serious failure to provide basic medical care" at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Gwynedd.
Etta Lili Stockwell-Parry died in July 2023.
A coroner described the case as "one of the most distressing cases" she had ever had to deal with, and said negligence by the health board had contributed to Etta's death.
Laura and Tristan Stockwell-Parry say the pregnancy was uneventful, with no indication of any problems.
"Everything was fine throughout the pregnancy, we were looking forward to becoming parents for the first time," said Laura on S4C's current affairs programme, Y Byd ar Bedwar.
Etta was born in a critical condition at Ysbyty Gwynedd on July 3, 2023. She required immediate resuscitation and was taken to the special care baby unit.
Laura said: "I just felt like I was looking at someone else's life. They were telling us throughout the labour 'happy baby, happy baby' so we had no reason to worry, no reason to expect her to be born in the condition she was in."
At the special care baby unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd, doctors were unable to provide the level of critical care Etta needed. Later that morning, she was transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool for specialist treatment.
'Goodnight'
By July 7, 2023, it was determined that Etta had suffered a severe hypoxic brain injury, due to a lack of oxygen during the birth. With the support of their family and doctors, Laura and Tristan made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw Etta's life support. She passed away peacefully in Laura's arms.
Tristan said: "It was such a difficult time. We did not want her to suffer. We said goodnight.
'Nothing can prepare you for making a decision like that - and then facing the drive home with the car seat empty. That journey was heartbreaking.'
Their lives had changed forever.
Laura said: "I blamed myself. I questioned If I could have done anything differently? We didn't have any answers, there were so many questions in our heads. Leaving her there was the worst thing."
Three months later, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board provided the family with a serious incident report.
The report concluded that multiple failures occurred in the care of Laura and Etta during the pregnancy and birth. One of the most significant was that midwives failed to notice, on three separate occasions, that Etta was not growing in the womb.
It also emerged that mistakes were made while monitoring Etta's heartbeat before birth, with Laura's heartbeat mistakenly recorded instead of the baby's.
"That did scare me because it was 43 minutes... that's a long time - it's something quite basic," Laura said.
The report also stated there was a significant delay before recording Etta's temperature after she was born, and that doctors should have used another airway device to assist her breathing at the time.
In May this year, a coroner came to the conclusion that there had been several serious failures to provide basic medical care before and during Etta's birth at Ysbyty Gwynedd.
"She should be here with us, it's really difficult," said Laura.
"I feel that the inquest did help us process in a way and that the coroner herself recognised that there was neglect, failing in basic care.'
'Poor care'
Charlene François is a midwife with almost 40 years' experience. She is also an expert witness and has given her opinion in cases all over the world, including in Wales.
Ms François said Etta's death could have been avoided if Laura had been transferred to the labour ward to be continuously monitored because she was a small baby.
"It's not acceptable," she said. "They didn't do the measurements correctly, it's poor care. The standard of care is very low and it shows that there is a lack of training among staff."
Angela Wood, executive director of nursing and midwifery services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: 'We wish to express our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Mr and Mrs Stockwell-Parry following the heartbreaking loss of baby Etta.
'Since this tragic event in July 2023, we have conducted a comprehensive review of the care provided and taken decisive action to address the issues identified. We are committed to learning from this experience and have introduced a range of measures to enhance our training and clinical oversight, ensuring the best possible care for both mothers and babies.'
Last year, Tristan and Laura welcomed their son Esra into the world. They chose for Laura to receive care and give birth at Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool, rather than at Ysbyty Gwynedd.
Laura and Tristan said they don't want others to endure the same loss they have suffered.
"It wasn't meant to happen and we don't want anyone to go through what we have. People say it gets easier with time, but it doesn't.
"She is our little girl. She made us parents. She will be our little girl forever."