Courage of parents who let their baby die on TV
They agreed to filming to raise awareness of choking risks
DESPERATE and praying for a miracle, a mother and father watch helplessly as doctors battle in vain to save their dying baby son.
The heart-wrenching scene shows ninemonth- old Leyton fighting for his life after choking on a piece of plastic.
His parents, named only as Adam and Serena, gave permission for a TV crew to film his final moments in the hope they can raise awareness of the dangers of choking and stop other families enduring the same tragedy.
The Channel 4 programme Inside Birmingham Children’s Hospital revealed the couple’s anguish as doctors and nurses did everything they could for their little boy.
The emotional episode, which aired on Tuesday night, also includes the moving moment Leyton’s older brother kisses him goodbye.
Following the screening, Serena said she had initially been reluctant to allow the filming but decided it could be used to raise awareness of choking hazards.
She told local newspaper the Birmingham Mail: ‘We didn’t expect to want to continue in the event of losing our beautiful boy.
‘But once it became clear that Leyton wasn’t going to get any better, we both felt an overwhelming sense of wanting to do some-
‘I’ve lost the most precious thing’
thing to raise awareness.’ Leyton stopped breathing after accidentally swallowing a small piece of plastic at home.
His father, who has first aid training, gave him chest compressions on the advice of a 999 operator while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
Doctors managed to re-start Leyton’s heart and placed him in a medically induced coma.
But when they tried to wake him two days later he failed to respond, and an MRI scan showed abnormalities. He died three days later.
In one poignant moment, Leyton’s older brother Cooper was shown with staff in the hospital’s play therapy department while his parents waited desperately for news about their baby.
Following Leyton’s death, Serena described her grief as an all- consuming ‘emptiness’, saying: ‘It’s almost like you don’t feel like you. There’s that emptiness. It consumes your whole body. It’s a strange feeling.’
She also revealed that Cooper had given them strength following the tragedy, saying: ‘If anybody was put in this situation you would just deal with it, you have to.
‘We’ve got Cooper. He’s a hero, he’s saved us. Adam and I are stronger than ever. If we can survive this, we can survive anything. I’ve lost the most precious thing you could lose but we still have life.’ Adam added: ‘ Just think of the good times with Leyton, that’s how I get through it. Just think of his smiley little face.’
The programme was an emotional experience for viewers, many of whom took to Twitter to say how much it had moved them.
Lilly Roberts wrote: ‘Last night I watched inside Birmingham children’s hospital! Quite possibly the saddest thing I’ve seen! That family are so strong!’
Another Twitter user, Katie Lloyd, said: ‘Wasn’t mentally prepared for that episode of Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Heart’s breaking for Leyton and his family.’
And Dee Clayton wrote: ‘ RIP little Leyton ... Birmingham children’s hospital has completely broken me tonight.’