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ITV News
6 hours ago
- Health
- ITV News
'Our four-day-old daughter shouldn't have died — we don't want anyone to go through what we have'
"It wasn't meant to happen." Those are the words of parents who lost their four-day-old daughter following a "serious failure to provide basic medical care" at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Gwynedd. Etta Lili Stockwell-Parry died in July 2023. A coroner described the case as "one of the most distressing cases" she had ever had to deal with, and said negligence by the health board had contributed to Etta's death. Laura and Tristan Stockwell-Parry say the pregnancy was uneventful, with no indication of any problems. "Everything was fine throughout the pregnancy, we were looking forward to becoming parents for the first time," said Laura on S4C's current affairs programme, Y Byd ar Bedwar. Etta was born in a critical condition at Ysbyty Gwynedd on July 3, 2023. She required immediate resuscitation and was taken to the special care baby unit. Laura said: "I just felt like I was looking at someone else's life. They were telling us throughout the labour 'happy baby, happy baby' so we had no reason to worry, no reason to expect her to be born in the condition she was in." At the special care baby unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd, doctors were unable to provide the level of critical care Etta needed. Later that morning, she was transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool for specialist treatment. 'Goodnight' By July 7, 2023, it was determined that Etta had suffered a severe hypoxic brain injury, due to a lack of oxygen during the birth. With the support of their family and doctors, Laura and Tristan made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw Etta's life support. She passed away peacefully in Laura's arms. Tristan said: "It was such a difficult time. We did not want her to suffer. We said goodnight. 'Nothing can prepare you for making a decision like that - and then facing the drive home with the car seat empty. That journey was heartbreaking.' Their lives had changed forever. Laura said: "I blamed myself. I questioned If I could have done anything differently? We didn't have any answers, there were so many questions in our heads. Leaving her there was the worst thing." Three months later, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board provided the family with a serious incident report. The report concluded that multiple failures occurred in the care of Laura and Etta during the pregnancy and birth. One of the most significant was that midwives failed to notice, on three separate occasions, that Etta was not growing in the womb. It also emerged that mistakes were made while monitoring Etta's heartbeat before birth, with Laura's heartbeat mistakenly recorded instead of the baby's. "That did scare me because it was 43 minutes... that's a long time - it's something quite basic," Laura said. The report also stated there was a significant delay before recording Etta's temperature after she was born, and that doctors should have used another airway device to assist her breathing at the time. In May this year, a coroner came to the conclusion that there had been several serious failures to provide basic medical care before and during Etta's birth at Ysbyty Gwynedd. "She should be here with us, it's really difficult," said Laura. "I feel that the inquest did help us process in a way and that the coroner herself recognised that there was neglect, failing in basic care.' 'Poor care' Charlene François is a midwife with almost 40 years' experience. She is also an expert witness and has given her opinion in cases all over the world, including in Wales. Ms François said Etta's death could have been avoided if Laura had been transferred to the labour ward to be continuously monitored because she was a small baby. "It's not acceptable," she said. "They didn't do the measurements correctly, it's poor care. The standard of care is very low and it shows that there is a lack of training among staff." Angela Wood, executive director of nursing and midwifery services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: 'We wish to express our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Mr and Mrs Stockwell-Parry following the heartbreaking loss of baby Etta. 'Since this tragic event in July 2023, we have conducted a comprehensive review of the care provided and taken decisive action to address the issues identified. We are committed to learning from this experience and have introduced a range of measures to enhance our training and clinical oversight, ensuring the best possible care for both mothers and babies.' Last year, Tristan and Laura welcomed their son Esra into the world. They chose for Laura to receive care and give birth at Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool, rather than at Ysbyty Gwynedd. Laura and Tristan said they don't want others to endure the same loss they have suffered. "It wasn't meant to happen and we don't want anyone to go through what we have. People say it gets easier with time, but it doesn't. "She is our little girl. She made us parents. She will be our little girl forever."
ITV News
07-07-2025
- ITV News
'Miscarriage of justice' fears over brother and sister's deaths in Pembrokeshire
New questions are being raised about the 1976 deaths of a brother and sister who were found dead in their farmhouse in Llangolman, Pembrokeshire. At the time, Dyfed-Powys Police concluded that Martha Thomas - known as Patti - was killed by her brother, Griff, and that he died as a result of a fire he lit in the house. In a special episode of Y Byd ar Bedwar on S4C, two experts in historical cases claim there is room for suspicion that someone else could be responsible for their deaths, raising the question that Griff Thomas may have been wrongly blamed for killing his sister. For decades, relatives and those who knew them well have also insisted that Griff could not have killed his sister and that someone else was responsible. Griff and Patti Thomas, aged 73 and 70, were living at Ffynnon Samson farm in Llangolman. Both were unmarried and had lived together throughout their lives. However, on December 11, 1976, a murder investigation was launched after their bodies were discovered in their home. Two months later, the inquiry concluded that Patti had been unlawfully killed after suffering an assault at the hands of her brother. An open verdict was reached regarding the death of Griff Thomas, but police believed he died after setting himself on fire. Professor Niamh Nic Daed, head of the forensic department at the University of Dundee and one of the expert witnesses in the Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry, said she has never encountered a similar case before. "There were no ignitable liquids or liquid accelerants like petrol or paraffin or whatever used," she said. "So the most likely cause of the fire was somebody deliberately setting fire to the combustible materials that were present. You then need to think about using your experience to determine whether that type of fire would be likely to be self-inflicted." After reading the Dyfed-Powys Police report from 1976 on the investigation into the Thomas family's deaths, Professor Nic Daeid believes important questions arise, saying: "It certainly suggests to me that there are questions with regard to whether the fire was deliberately set by Griff, or whether it was the action of another person." Stephanie Davies, a former senior coroner's officer who is now an independent investigator specialising in interpreting death locations, has also looked into the case. While she states that the police investigation at the time was thorough, she feels there are important questions which remain unanswered. "I think they fell at the final hurdle," she said. "There are quite a few red flags for third-party involvement. "There needs to be a fresh inquest. When somebody has died they can't defend themselves, yet they can still be labelled a murderer on the balance of probabilities. "That, I don't think is right. I think it is very possible it is a miscarriage of justice and I think it is only right for at least an inquest to explore those factors." The programme also hears from relatives of Griff and Patti Thomas, who have been fighting for decades to clear their brother's name. "My father, from the beginning, said that the story wasn't right," says Huw. 'It was just the two of them. Neither would ever have harmed the other, never. 'I was 15 at the time and I'm 63 now, who's going to fight on after my day? I feel deeply about the injustice of the whole thing.' In October 2022, Dyfed-Powys Police announced it was conducting a forensic review of material which had been kept from the original investigation in 1976. Two and a half years after the review was established, family members say they are still waiting to hear about any developments. "I feel very strongly about this," said Huw. "How much longer is needed?" Dyfed-Powys Police was asked for an interview for the programme. In a response, a spokesperson said: "The review is ongoing and we are not in a position to provide guidance on timelines. We will not be providing an interview at this time."
Wales Online
16-06-2025
- Wales Online
Family's plea over dad found dead 24 hours after landing in Benidorm
Family's plea over dad found dead 24 hours after landing in Benidorm 'We're exhausted but we'll keep fighting' Father-of-four Nathan Osman died following a fall while on holiday in Benidorm with friends (Image: Osman family ) The family of a man who was found dead less than 24 hours after arriving in Benidorm say they have "been through hell" and have pleaded for more support from authorities. Father-of-four Nathan Osman, 30, from Pontypridd, was found dead at the bottom of a cliff while on holiday in September 2024. Speaking to S4C's Y Byd ar Bedwar programme, his family have said that they didn't get the support they had expected from the Foreign Office, and are now fighting for a change in the law. Nathan pictured with his friends the night he went missing (Image: Lee Evans ) Nathan's death was originally ruled as an accident or potential suicide by Spanish authorities but Nathan's family say they did not believe this was the case and have been conducting their own investigation to prove this ever since. Alannah Hughes, Nathan's sister, said: "We knew straight away that there was something untoward behind this story and behind Nathan's death. "I received a phone call off a Spanish number. They said 'your brother has been found dead at the bottom of a cliff' and that was it." Article continues below The family travelled to Benidorm to gather their own evidence to present to the National Police, an act which Nathan's brother, Lee Evans, described as "instinctive." "We've had to fight for evidence and for answers, but there is still so much we don't know," said Lee. The evidence they managed to obtain included proof of attempts to use Nathan's bank card in the hours after he died on September 28. They created a list of properties with CCTV that hadn't been collected by local police. The last image of Nathan of CCTV (Image: BeniCam - Benidorm Webcam ) After the family presented the evidence, the National Police in Benidorm reopened Nathan's case as a homicide investigation, but despite this development the family maintains that there has been a lack of support throughout. 'We reached out to the police here in Benidorm. We had no help. No support from any authority," said Alannah. They are now calling for a change of law to provide more help for families of British nationals who have been murdered abroad, with the backing of their local MP, Labour's Alex Davies-Jones. This would include a statutory framework to provide consistent communication in English to bereaved families, as well as a named point of contact. Lee told Y Byd ar Bedwar that this framework should extend to increased financial support – something which would have helped them pay the £7,000 needed to transport Nathan's body back home to the UK. In response, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "Our staff stand ready to support British nationals around the world. In any given year, we support around 20,000 British nationals and their families. "In cases of British nationals who die abroad, we can provide personalised support including practical information regarding processes in different countries." Alannah feels these changes are necessary. She says her and her family have "been through hell" and says she wants to see reform so that any families who may go through something similar in the future do not have to endure what they have. "We're exhausted but we'll keep fighting. We want families in the future, if they lose loved ones abroad, to have a structure that we didn't have," she said. Lee added: 'We can look at the family, to Nathan's children, and tell them we've tried everything and done everything to get answers." Article continues below The National Police in Benidorm has said they cannot comment or share information as the investigation is still ongoing, including responding to the family's claims about the way they have handled Nathan's case. You can watch the full programme 'Y Byd ar Bedwar: Damweiniau dros y dŵr' on S4C or BBC iPlayer on Monday, 16 June, at 8pm. English subtitles are available.
ITV News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
‘We'll keep fighting' — Pontypridd family's plea after brother's death in Benidorm
The family of a man who was found dead in Benidorm less than 24 hours after arriving in the Spanish tourist destination say they have "been through hell", and want better support from authorities for families like theirs in future. Father-of-four Nathan Osman, 30, was found dead at the base of a remote cliff less than 24 hours after arriving in Benidorm last September. His family, from Pontypridd, told S4C's Y Byd ar Bedwar programme that they 'didn't get the support' they expected from the Foreign Office, and are now campaigning for a change in the law. Within hours of finding Nathan's body, police initially concluded that the cause of death was suicide – something which the family refutes. Alannah Hughes, Nathan's sister, said: 'We knew straight away that there was something untoward behind this story and behind Nathan's death. 'I received a phone call off a Spanish number... they said 'your brother has been found dead at the bottom of a cliff'... and that was it." As a result, the family travelled to Benidorm to gather their own evidence to present to the National Police – which Nathan's brother, Lee Evans, described as 'instinctive'. This evidence included proof of attempts to use Nathan's bank card in the hours after he died on 28 September. Their dossier also included a list of properties with CCTV which hadn't been collected by local police. Lee said: 'We've had to fight for evidence and for answers, but there is still so much we don't know.' After the family presented the evidence, the National Police in Benidorm reopened Nathan's case as a homicide investigation. Despite this development, the family feels that there was a lack of support throughout. Alannah said: 'We reached out to the police here in Benidorm... We had no help. No support from any authority'. Now, they're calling for a change of law to provide more help for families of British nationals who have been murdered abroad – with the backing of their local MP, Labour's Alex Davies-Jones. This would include a statutory framework to provide consistent communication in English to bereaved families, as well as a named point of contact. Lee told Y Byd ar Bedwar that this framework should extend to increased financial support – something which would have helped them pay the £7,000 needed to get Nathan's body back to the UK. In response, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: 'Our staff stand ready to support British nationals around the world. In any given year, we support around 20,000 British nationals and their families. "In cases of British nationals who die abroad, we can provide personalised support including practical information regarding processes in different countries.' For Alannah, she feels these changes are necessary. She said the family have 'been through hell' and that they 'want families in the future, if they lose loved ones abroad, to have a structure that we didn't have". 'We're exhausted but we'll keep fighting," Alannah said. Lee added: 'We can look at the family, to Nathan's children and tell them we've tried everything and done everything to get answers." We contacted the National Police in Benidorm to respond to the family's claims about the way they've handled Nathan's case, but they said they cannot comment or share information as the investigation is still ongoing.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New boss confirmed at bullying scandal channel S4C
A new boss at a TV channel hit by a bullying scandal has been confirmed by the UK government. Former Labour politician Delyth Evans has taken over as chairwoman of S4C, replacing former Tory MP Guto Bebb, who spent 12 months as interim chairman. Evans started the role on 1 May after being appointed by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy. She joins S4C after a tumultuous period that saw former chief executive Sian Doyle sacked in November 2023 after claims of a toxic and bullying culture at the channel, followed by Evans' predecessor Rhodri Williams telling the UK government he did not want a second term in charge. Report told sacked TV boss behaved like dictator TV boss leaves over misconduct allegation TV boss sacked after allegedly abusing rugby star The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) also announced the appointment of five new members to the S4C board - Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Dyfrig Davies, Wyn Innes, Betsan Powys and Catryn Ramasut. The DCMS said that two of the nominees have been involved with Plaid Cymru in the past - Gwenllian Davies was a councillor until 2011 and was the party's chief executive between 2007 and 2011. She is also chief executive of early-years Welsh language education group Mudiad Meithrin. Former TV company managing director Dyfrig Davies had canvassed for the party, although the statement said that had not been the case for at least 10 years. Before politics, Evans was a journalist at ITV-broadcaster HTV Wales, working on current affairs programme Y Byd ar Bedwar for S4C. Powys is a former political editor of BBC Wales and former editor of the BBC's Welsh language radio and online services. She later worked as a reporter for the World at One and PM for BBC Radio 4 before representing Mid and West Wales in the then-National Assembly for Wales from 2000 to 2003. After her stint in politics she was chief executive of Smart Works, a women's employment charity, and is a board member at Sport Wales. S4C chief executive Geraint Evans said: "Delyth brings a wealth of leadership and governance experience as well as a passion for seeing the Welsh language flourish in every corner the country. "I, along with the rest of the S4C team, am eagerly looking forward to working with Delyth as we begin a new chapter in our history." Choosing the job is the responsibility of the UK government, which was accused of risking "public trust in Welsh media" by a senior Welsh Conservative, because of Evans' Labour background.
