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Father attacks cot firm's 'apology' for blaming baby's death on sister Father attacks cot firm's 'apology' for blaming baby's death on sister
(35 minutes later)
A father has condemned the manufacturers of a cot in which his baby daughter died over its “so-called apology” for trying to implicate his other daughter in the death.A father has condemned the manufacturers of a cot in which his baby daughter died over its “so-called apology” for trying to implicate his other daughter in the death.
Seven-week-old Grace Roseman died when she got her head over a half-lowered side of a Bednest crib at her home in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.Seven-week-old Grace Roseman died when she got her head over a half-lowered side of a Bednest crib at her home in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.
She was unable to lift her head off again and died of positional asphyxia on 9 April 2015. At an inquest last month, West Sussex coroner Penelope Schofield criticised Bednest for its “lack of compassion”. She was unable to lift her head off again and died of positional asphyxia on 9 April 2015. At an inquest last month, the West Sussex coroner Penelope Schofield criticised Bednest for its lack of compassion.
It followed unfounded allegations by lawyers for Bednest that Grace’s sister Pearl, who was aged two-and-a-half at the time, could have been responsible for her sister’s death. Her comments followed unfounded allegations by lawyers for Bednest that Grace’s sister Pearl, who was aged two-and-a-half at the time, could have been responsible for her sister’s death.
Bednest’s managing director, Mark Green, later reportedly offered an unreserved apology to the Roseman family for the suggestion. Bednest’s managing director, Mark Green, was later reported to have offered an unreserved apology to the Roseman family for the suggestion.
But Grace and Pearl’s father, Gideon Roseman, said he was “astounded and insulted” to read about the “so-called apology”, saying the first he and his wife, Esther, had learned about it was via press reports. Grace and Pearl’s father, Gideon Roseman, said the first he and his wife Esther had heard about Green’s intervention was via press reports.
He said in a statement: “Considering the indescribable anguish Bednest caused our family leading up to and during the inquest into Grace’s death with this appalling allegation, we are astounded and insulted to read about a so-called apology in this way.He said in a statement: “Considering the indescribable anguish Bednest caused our family leading up to and during the inquest into Grace’s death with this appalling allegation, we are astounded and insulted to read about a so-called apology in this way.
“We have never received any personal communication – letter, email or phone call – from the company nor Mark Green apologising for the hell they’ve put us all through.”“We have never received any personal communication – letter, email or phone call – from the company nor Mark Green apologising for the hell they’ve put us all through.”
The family’s lawyer, Jill Greenfield, said: “To issue such a statement to the press rather than to the family in person is disgraceful.The family’s lawyer, Jill Greenfield, said: “To issue such a statement to the press rather than to the family in person is disgraceful.
“Yet again, the company is blaming its own experts for the allegations rather than taking personal responsibility for the course of action it chose to take following Grace’s tragic death.“Yet again, the company is blaming its own experts for the allegations rather than taking personal responsibility for the course of action it chose to take following Grace’s tragic death.
“Perhaps more importantly, Bednest’s so-called ‘unreserved apology’ still does not acknowledge that it was the design of its cot that killed Grace Roseman, something that was made very clear in the inquest.“Perhaps more importantly, Bednest’s so-called ‘unreserved apology’ still does not acknowledge that it was the design of its cot that killed Grace Roseman, something that was made very clear in the inquest.
“By refusing to accept responsibility, Bednest continues to heap terrible pain onto the Rosemans.”“By refusing to accept responsibility, Bednest continues to heap terrible pain onto the Rosemans.”
Bednest was unavailable for immediate comment.Bednest was unavailable for immediate comment.
At the inquest, Schofield said the manufacturer as well as the Furniture Industry Research Association, which approved the product, had failed to foresee the risk.At the inquest, Schofield said the manufacturer as well as the Furniture Industry Research Association, which approved the product, had failed to foresee the risk.
She said she was concerned that Bednest did not fully appreciate the ongoing risks of the existing unmodified cots that are still being used. She also said she was concerned that Bednest did not fully appreciate the ongoing risks of the existing unmodified cots, which are still being used.
Schofield originally issued a Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths concerning the Bednest cot after the death and she said she would be issuing an updated version with her findings from the inquest. Schofield originally issued a Regulation 28 report concerning the Bednest cot after the death, and she said she would be issuing an updated version with her findings from the inquest with the aim of preventing future deaths.
Bednest, which used to sell the cot jointly with the National Childbirth Trust, has since modified the design to stop the sides from being kept in the half-lowered position. Bednest, which used to sell the cot jointly with the National Childbirth Trust, has since modified the design to prevent the sides being kept in the half-lowered position.
The inquest heard that while Bednest had since made efforts to contact existing owners to issue a modification kit to prevent the sides from being left in the half-lowered position, it had been unable to reach 3,300 people. The inquest heard Bednest had since made efforts to contact the owners of existing cots to issue a modification kit , but that it had been unable to reach 3,300 people.