Zachariah Orefuwa, from Romford, was born on October 26 and died less than a week later from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy – brain damage believed to have been sustained during his birth.
His mother attended the maternity unit “in a lot of pain,” she told coroner Nadia Persaud.
But the staff member she spoke to when she first arrived allegedly responded: “Well, that’s not what you’ve come in for.”
“It was at that first point that my pain was dismissed,” Zachariah’s mum told East London Coroner’s Court.
He is one of three babies whose inquests have been opened since late 2024 amid concerns that failures in treatment at Queen’s Hospital may have contributed to their deaths.
Previously referred to in court as “Baby Millin”, the boy’s parents appeared before Mrs Persaud on Tuesday (July 22) to help decide which evidence and witnesses would be needed at an inquest next year.
Mrs Persaud ordered the trust’s lawyer to identify the staff member described as “dismissing” the mother’s symptoms and take a statement from her within five weeks.
The couple also asked the court to obtain a recording of a phone call made to the maternity unit before they arrived.
“From there is when she’s actually informed the hospital of her pain,” said Zachariah’s father.
“I definitely want a copy of that recording,” Mrs Persaud agreed.
Zachariah’s death has already been investigated by the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation (MNSI) programme, which Mrs Persaud said had identified issues Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) would have to address at inquest.
“The inquiry into the facts can include looking carefully at the care provided and determining whether any aspects of that care contributed to his death,” she said.
Areas of investigation will include “the lack of obstetric review in triage” and “did the triage team have appropriate regard to the levels of pain reported, the elevated blood pressure and the hyperstimulation?”
She will also look at “the time taken to respond to the loss of foetal heart rate” and the time taken to perform a caesarean section.
Mrs Persaud said she would commission an independent expert to review staff’s actions.
The final inquest is due to take place in January.
BHRUT said in January that it extended its sincere condolences to Zachariah’s family and would work with the coroner whilst carrying out its own review.
