A couple whose baby suffered a fractured rib have been cleared of blame by a family court judge who concluded that medications the boy was given to treat acid reflux could have played a part in weakening his bones.
The baby, now 12 months old, was removed from the couple and placed with relatives about eight months ago after X-rays showed a rib fracture, while the cause of his injury was investigated.
But Judge Elizabeth Walker, who considered evidence at a family court hearing in Coventry over five days in August, has ruled that he should return to his parents’ care.
The judge said she was not satisfied that either parent had caused the injury.
She said a “number of features” in the baby’s medical history could have led to a “degree of bone fragility” – alongside the “recognised side-effects” of taking the medications Omeprazole and Ranitidine.
The baby’s mother and father denied hurting their son or handling him in any way that could have broken his rib.
Evidence showed that both were “demonstrably good parents”, said the judge.
She said she thought the baby’s mother had “wept her way through nearly every minute” of every hearing day.
Judge Walker outlined her conclusions in a written ruling published online and has not identified the family.
She said the baby was born in Warwick and social services bosses at Warwickshire County Council had asked for a ruling on the cause of the injury.
The judge said the coronavirus crisis had delayed the progress of the case and apologised to the couple.
Judge Walker said the boy was born prematurely and a doctor told her he was an “ill child” who had a “lot of problems”.
He had been prescribed Ranitidine, then Omeprazole, to treat acid reflux when he was between a month and two months old.
A study had found that Omeprazole was associated with an increased risk of bone fragility in children, and showed that the “fracture hazard” increased if babies were also taking Ranitidine, the judge heard.
“I am not satisfied to the requisite standard that either of these parents inflicted the injury,” said Judge Walker.
“Just like them, I do not know how the fracture was caused.
“What I am entirely satisfied of is that there are a number of features in (his) medical history that could have led to a degree of bone fragility: prematurity, poor nutrition – as a result of his general ill-health – poor feeding, and possible liver or kidney problems, alongside the recognised side-effects of taking Omeprazole and Ranitidine.
“There must be at least a possibility that there was a reduction in (his) bone density that might have been a significant feature in the causation of the fracture.”
By Brian Farmer
