Catholic woman who didn't know she was pregnant killed her baby after birth and then bled to death, inquest hears

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11...bled-death.html

A devout Roman Catholic who had not known she was pregnant killed her son within moments of giving birth alone. 

Elizabeth Tevenan then bled to death after she was found by her mother in the bathroom of their home, an inquest heard yesterday. 

The 30-year-old had been taking painkillers for acute back pain and had even looked on the NHS Direct website for information about ulcers and stomach cancer two days before she gave birth on November 13 last year. 

 

Tragic: Elizabeth Tevenan was 'unaware' of her pregnancy, a coroner said yesterday

Miss Tevenan's mother Bridget discovered her haemorrhaging in the bathroom of their home in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and called an ambulance. 

The child's body was discovered beneath towels and a dressing gown an hour later by police officers who were alerted by doctors who had examined Miss Tevenan. 

The inquest was told that she stuffed toilet tissue into her baby's mouth and pinched his nose to stop him breathing. Miss Tevenan's mother told the inquest that she had raised her daughter strictly within the Roman Catholic faith. 

'She never spoke to me about sex. She was brought up with strict guidelines,' her statement to the inquest said. 

Work colleague Debbie Jones told the inquest that Miss Tevenan had said she could 'never tell her father' if she became pregnant. 

Dr James Lucas, a paediatric pathologist at Warwick Hospital where the baby and his mother were taken, told the inquest that he had been delivered at 37 weeks or more into the pregnancy. 

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The baby's father Noel Bannister leaving the coroner's hearing today

'The baby was live born with expanded lungs but would only have taken a few breaths before death occurred,' he said. 

Miss Tevenan, an office worker, was confirmed dead on arrival at Warwick Hospital. She had died of blood loss as a result of haemorrhaging. 

The baby, who was given the name Nicholas Patrick, had weighed 6lb 13oz. His father, Noel Bannister, who lives in Cambridgeshire, was traced by police through DNA samples. 

Mrs Tevenan, 58, and her 70-year-old husband Patrick did not attend the inquest at Warwickshire Coroner's Court in Leamington Spa. 

In the statement, Mrs Tevenan said she knew her daughter had been seeing Mr Bannister on and off for three or four years, but she had never met him and had no idea her daughter was pregnant. 

'I would have hit the roof if I'd known she was pregnant but I'd have calmed down,' she said. 'I would have loved a grandson. He was a beautiful baby. We are griefstricken, we doted on our daughter, we have lost a lovely girl.' 

Mrs Tevenan said that the day before her death her daughter had taken painkillers which had been prescribed for back pain and had gone to bed early saying that she could not get comfortable.

She described her daughter as 'a shy, bubbly and happy girl'. Mrs Tevenan assumed the back pain might be the onset of arthritis, a condition which could have developed from a displaced hip which Miss Tevenan had suffered as a seven-year-old. 

Detective Inspector Nigel Jones of Warwickshire Police told the inquest how Miss Tevenan had attended a netball coaching session a few days before the birth. 

'It was clear that no one knew she was pregnant,' he said. 'And there are no facts to identify that Elizabeth knew she was pregnant.' 

Coroner Sean McGovern recorded that Miss Tevenan had died of natural causes but said she had unlawfully killed her son. 

'I am entirely satisfied that Elizabeth was unaware of her pregnancy,' he said. 'If she had been aware of this when her waters broke, earlier medical intervention could have prevented her death. 

'I am satisfied that her baby was born alive but the deliberate pushing of tissue paper into his throat caused asphyxia.' 

He concluded that Elizabeth unlawfully killed her baby 'in a state of panic'.

[erinepink 0]

OMG.. it makes me wonder how can she not know that she was pregnant...

[meiteoh 0]

Being pregnant right now with all the pains I have, I can tell you, there is NO WAY IN HELL (ignore the pun) that a woman (not a girl or a child ar) would not know that she was pregnant!!!!!

Also, pain killers were prescribed so someone had to have seen this woman...unless it's a stupid pharmacist who couldn't be bothered to refer the girl to an OB plus I'd like to know more about the guy this woman was seeing.

I think she couldn't or didn't want to seek medical attention because of the "scandal" that would erupt in her family. Both her parents sound very religious and definitely very strict. Ai...what a pity though... :/

[Diana 0]

I agree with you girls that how can a woman not know she's pregnant??? and plus if you say it's the first month or so then fine but it's a whole 9 months!! If you had sex and didn't have your menstruation for 9 months and your body is changing, stomach's bulging, how can u not know???? I guess if the parents weren't so strict then the baby might have lived. Poor baby.

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I am thinking she purposely ignores all the signs, twisting all the facts to suit her belief that she was NOT pregnant, due to the scandal she foresee to have.