The four-month-old grandson of former Norwich City player Steve Bruce died after he was placed in an "unsafe sleeping position" in his cot by an unregulated maternity nurse, an inquest has heard.
Madison Bruce Smith was found unresponsive by his father, ex-Leeds United and Fulham striker Matt Smith, on the morning of October 18, 2024.
The infant, who was four months old at the time, could not be resuscitated at the family home in Trafford in Greater Manchester and was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Madison’s parents, together with Bruce and his son, ex-footballer Alex, attended Monday’s hearing at Stockport Coroner’s Court.
Mr Smith and his wife, Bruce’s daughter Amy, had employed maternity nurse Eva Clements through a company named Ruthie Maternity Services after their son had difficulties sleeping in the afternoons.
They believed she was skilled, fully trained and vetted and that the company was a well-established maternity and sleep support service, but the court heard that neither was regulated.
In her conclusion, senior coroner for south Manchester, Alison Mutch, said: "Madison died in circumstances where his cause of death could not be ascertained while asleep in his cot, having been placed in a prone and unsafe sleeping position."
She said the "purported expertise" of untrained people posed a risk to all children where those unregulated services were used.
The inquest heard Madison’s parents would "never have dreamed" of putting their son asleep in the prone position but were following the advice of the maternity nurse.
The advice is contrary to safe sleeping guidance from the NHS and health professionals for young babies who cannot turn themselves over and therefore should be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of a sudden and unexpected death.
Issuing a prevention of future deaths report to the secretary of state for health, she said: "I hope the services can be regulated and, going forward, parents are not left in a situation where they believe they are employing someone who is qualified to advise them when they are clearly unqualified."
She went on: "We have been told that in effect any of of us could leave the building today and call ourselves a maternity nurse as while the term registered nurse is strictly controlled, the term nurse is not.
"It gives an illusion of someone who is highly trained and able to support parents."
Bruce made 180 appearances for the Canaries in the mid-80s before leaving to join Manchester United for £900,000.
He famously netted a last-gasp winner against Ipswich in the Milk Cup semi final in 1985 on City's way to winning the trophy.
Share