An 18-month-old Dublin boy died of asphyxia while he slept on a living room couch beside his mother, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
Roy Keeley, Braithwaite Street, Dublin 8, was dead on admission to Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin on July 9th, 1996.
The State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, concluded following a post-mortem examination that he had died of asphyxia of a cause undetermined. Dr Harbison said he was unable to express a more firm opinion, and that a number of factors, including the child's position on the couch, might have contributed to his death.
Ms Sandra Domican Keeley said she found her son downstairs in the living room when she returned from a night out shortly after midnight on July 9th.
Her brother and his girlfriend, who were babysitting, said the boy woke up crying a short time earlier, and they brought him down to be with them. She said the child was in good form, and fell asleep in her arms. She settled him down on the couch and sat beside him to watch a video.
She fell asleep, and waking at 6.30 a.m. found him cold and lifeless. She tried to shake him and called out to him. She rang a friend who called an ambulance.
She explained that a bruise on his chin was due to a fall some days earlier and marks on his neck were caused when he was caught in the baby straps in his pram.
Prof Harbison said he found no abnormalities or injuries. The boy showed signs of asphyxia but the cause of death was undetermined. He said his position on the couch might have had an impact on this.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded.