Parents are warned over ‘false sense of security’ from baby bath seats after nine-month-old boy drowns after being left unattended for minutes
- Parents told of baby seat risks after the death of nine-month-old Chester Mossop
- Coroner warned there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken
Parents have been warned of the dangers of baby bath seats, with a senior coroner saying they should not be lulled into a ‘false sense of security’ after a nine-month-old died having been left for just a few minutes.
Coroner Kirsty Gomersal’s advice came after the heartbreaking death of baby Chester Mossop, who was left unattended for ‘several minutes’ while sitting in one of the contraptions.
His seat became ‘unfixed’ and he was found face down in the water, an inquest heard. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, he tragically died in June last year.
Now, the Cumbria Coroner has written to the NHS Office of Product Safety and Standards urging the dangers of bath seats be publicised on a national scale.
The seats are ‘not safety devices’, she said in a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, which highlighted that further tragedies could occur unless parents are better informed.
Parents have been warned of the dangers of baby bath seats, with experts saying they are ‘unstable’ and ‘prone to toppling over’ (stock image)
In her report, she described how on May 29 last year, Chester was placed in a bath seat in a bath of warm water at his home in Cockermouth.
‘After approximately 20 minutes of bath time, Chester was left alone in his bath seat,’ she said.
‘After a few minutes, Chester was found face down in the bath, the bath seat having become unfixed – was given immediate CPR which was continued by attending police, paramedics and clinicians.’
Chester’s inquest heard he was airlifted to Great North Children’s’ Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, where ‘everything was done to save his life’.
However, an MRI scan showed Chester had sustained an ‘unsurvivable brain injury’ due to drowning and sadly died peacefully in his mother’s arms on June 3 last year.
Miss Gomersal recorded a verdict of accidental death.
The coroner received a statement from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) about baby bath seats – stating they are ‘unstable’ and ‘prone to toppling over’.
The RoSPA said there was a ‘common misconception’ bath seats are a ‘safety product’, which is ‘not the case’.
Such is their concern about bath seats, the RoSPA recommend parents do not use bath aids at all.
Chester’s inquest heard he was airlifted to Great North Children’s’ Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, where ‘everything was done to save his life’
Babies can drown in just a few centimetres of water as they are not able to recognise danger or have the strength to reach the surface.
Miss Gomersal said that, according to RoSPA: ‘Baby bath seats are unstable and prone to toppling over leaving the baby trapped in the water.
‘Bath seats may give parents and carers a false sense of security that baby is safer in a bath seat and can be left alone (despite warnings that this should not happen).
‘There can be a misconception that a baby bath seat is a safety product – this is not the case. Under no circumstances should parents regard bath seats as a safety aid and leave a child out of arms reach.
‘RoSPA is aware of incidents where parents have been in the room, but away from the baby, with tragic results. RoSPA is aware of a number of drownings of young children in the bath where a baby bath seat has been used.
‘There may be some bath seats that are less stable than others or that have inadequate methods to hold them in place.’
Continuing her report, Miss Gomersal said evidence throughout the inquest had ‘revealed matters giving rise to concern’.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said there was a ‘common misconception’ bath seats are a ‘safety product’ – when that is ‘not the case’ (stock image)
‘In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken,’ she wrote.
‘I am aware of similar tragic deaths to Chester’s and inquests held by my fellow Coroners. RoSPA is also aware of fatal and non-fatal incidents.
‘I am not aware whether parents/carers are provided with advice about the safe use of bath seats as part of e.g. health visits.
‘I am concerned that bath seats may given (sic) parents a false sense of security that their child is safe.
‘Bath seats are not safety devices.’
In conclusion, she added: ‘In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe the NHS Office of Product Safety and Standards has the power to take such action.’
She added that the health service is under a duty to respond to her report – which was also sent to RoSPA and National Child Mortality Database Child Death Overview Panel – by June 16.
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