Mum told partner 'wake up, it's baby day' before finding him dead on couch

A heartbroken mum told her partner "wake up, it's baby day' before finding him dead on the sofa, an inquest has heard.

Rebecca Moss tried to wake Thomas Gibson, 40, but found him cold and stiff after touching him. Rebecca attempted to administer emergency first aid before paramedics arrived and pronounced Mr Gibson dead. Later that day, she gave birth to their daughter, Harper, in hospital.

During the inquest into Mr Gibson's death, a hospital doctor admitted to misinterpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG) scan taken 11 days prior when Mr Gibson visited A&E with a severe stomach bug, the MEN reports.

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An emotional Ms Moss, from Stretford, Greater Manchester, recounted the tragic morning of June 7 last year, the scheduled date for her Caesarean section. She found Mr Gibson asleep on the couch and tried to rouse him, saying: "Tom didn't respond, so I went over to the couch to give him a kiss. He was lying in his usual sleeping position.

"When I touched him, he was cold and stiff. He wouldn't wake up.

"I called 999 immediately. They asked me to pull Tom on to the floor and perform chest compressions. I started chest compressions until the ambulance arrived.

"The shock, trauma and not to mention the physical exertion of having to pull Tom off the couch and perform chest compressions at 39 weeks pregnant was overwhelming."

Later that same morning, Ms Moss gave birth to their daughter, Harper.

Ms Moss fondly remembered her partner as "caring, charming and funny" sharing how he eagerly anticipated fatherhood, dedicating his weekends to crafting furniture for their forthcoming baby.

She lamented that their daughter will mark her first birthday this Friday in the absence of her dad.

She said: "He won't be there for any of her birthdays. He won't ever be there on Christmas morning, and he won't be there on Father's Day. Harper will instead visit her dad's grave when she's old enough to understand.

"We say good night to his picture every night before bed and she has a quilt which has been made from his favourite jumpers.

"Tom will live on through his daughter but that doesn't change the fact that he should still be here with us today."

The inquest was told Mr Gibson, who worked at a timber yard and was in good physical shape, had been battling a stomach bug with symptoms including cramps and diarrhoea for about three weeks prior to his untimely death.

His condition reached a critical point when he sought emergency care at Wythenshawe Hospital on May 27 last year.

There, Dr Oliver Handley observed an anomaly on his ECG trace and promptly referred it to a senior colleague, Dr Thomas Bull, the medical registrar, for further evaluation.

Dr Bull assessed the ECG scan and suggested it likely indicated an intraventricular block, which he noted is "not an uncommon finding" and not considered "significant" in the absence of other heart-related symptoms.

Dr Bull stated: "I advised if there's no heart symptoms generally then that would not require any investigation at this time."

Subsequent analysis determined that the ECG had identified a complete heart block, also known as a third-degree heart block, which is the most severe type and can lead to sudden cardiac death, according to the family's legal team.

Dr Bull further commented: "I can see now, in retrospect and in hindsight, there are abnormalities over and above those I could see present."

Despite this, immediate treatment was not considered necessary, and Mr Gibson was discharged with instructions to return in a week if his severe stomach illness had not improved.

Tragically, he was found dead 11 days later from sudden cardiac death, as concluded by a pathologist.

The family's lawyers have stated that Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has fully admitted liability for providing negligent medical care to Mr Gibson in the days leading up to his death.

Dr Matthew Thornber, a consultant at the hospital, noted that the two ECGs taken were not "textbook" examples of a heart block condition and such diagnosis requires nuance and experience.

"This is not a barn door easy miss," he said.

The inquest continues.

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