Couple's search for answers

A couple will today demand answers as to why their son died four days after his birth.

Ben Hussey had never opened his eyes and was paralysed in all but one toe because of brain damage.

Today, his parents Rachel and Jake Hussey, will claim a catalogue of errors made by staff during labour starved him of oxygen.

"I want an explanation," said Mrs Hussey, 37. Mrs Hussey, from Plumstead, said she was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich as soon as her waters broke. Once there she was induced with the drug Syntocin which, the couple claim, the hospital gave her more than guidelines recommend.

"They put me on a very high dose," said Mrs Hussey, a child psychologist who was unable to work for six months after the tragedy last March. "They've still not fully explained why they decided to whack up the dose and try to get Ben out as quickly as they did."

The couple, who may sue the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for negligence, claim that once Ben was born - 25 hours after she was admitted to hospital - he was immediately whisked away and connected to machines.

"It was the most unbelievable shock. Ben was lifeless and floppy and blue. Suddenly all these people turn up. There were 14 people in the room at one stage resuscitating him, and loud speakers calling for the crash team. Where the hell were they earlier?

"I hadn't realised till we went down there how serious it was. When I saw he was attached to a whole bank of computers and was having seizures I realised he was very very ill. The news got worse every day."

After four days Ben's life support machine was switched off and Mrs Hussey, her teacher husband and Ben's grandparents were able to hold him.

"He never cried, he never opened his eyes. He only had movement in one toe because he had suffered brain damage and had multiple organ failure,"-said Mrs Hussey. "But we managedto hold him for 12 hours before he died which was incredibly precious and I am very glad we had that time. It was very comforting and peaceful. It was what I yearned to do while he was in the incubator.

"He had Jake's hands and feet and looked a bit like my brother. He was perfectly healthy, a big 9lb baby and that's why everyone is so horrified. Healthy 9lb babies don't die. Special care baby units are used for tiny premature babies - all the equipment was the wrong size.

"I had a completely normal pregnancy with no problems at all. And there was nothing wrong with him when I went into labour."

Today, the couple will hear a coroner examine the evidence.

A statement from Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust said: "The questions you have asked are exactly those that will be answered at the inquest.

"The Trust would not want to compromise the coroner's verdict and it would be inappropriate for us to comment ahead of the inquest."