Kent Messenger Maidstone

When joy becomes tragedy

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It took six years for one husband to receive a payout for his son when a young mum died hours after giving birth.

Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford paid out £150,000 in 2012 after the death of Lauren Gard six years earlier.

The 26-year-old suffered a heart attack caused by a group of symptoms that can occur in women with pre-eclampsia or eclampsia shortly after her son Charlie was delivered. She died several hours later.

Husband Merlin reached a settlement with Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and now raises funds in her memory.

In December 2013, a 25-yearold woman died in hospital just days after giving birth to her first child on Christmas Day.

School receptioni­st Natalie O’Shea passed away in Darent Valley Hospital after contractin­g meningitis, resulting in a fatal brain injury.

The coroner recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.

In October 2012, Malling primary school teacher Frances Cappuccini, 30, suffered serious blood loss and a cardiac arrest hours after giving birth by caesarean section at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury.

In January this year, a landmark manslaught­er trial against consultant anaestheti­st Dr Errol Cornish and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust collapsed when the judge ordered a not guilty verdict after two weeks of evidence.

Mrs Cappuccini, who was affectiona­tely known as Mrs Coffee by her pupils at Offham Primary, left husband Tom and their two boys, Giacomo and older brother Luca.

 ??  ?? Frances Cappuccini died in 2012; right, Lauren and Merlin Gard with Charlie
Frances Cappuccini died in 2012; right, Lauren and Merlin Gard with Charlie
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