Home-op baby bled to death

Grace Adeleye

Nurse on trial over botched circumcision
A four–week–old baby bled to death after a botched circumcision by a nurse at the boy’s home in Chadderton, a court has heard.

Goodluck Caubergs died the day after nurse Grace Adeleye carried out the procedure without anaesthetic and using only a pair of scissors, forceps and olive oil, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The 66–year–old medic is originally from Nigeria, as are the youngster’s parents, where the circumcision of newborns is the tradition for Christian families, the jury heard.

Adeleye, also a midwife, was paid £100 to do the operation: the child’s parents weren’t aware the procedure was available through the NHS.

The Royal Oldham Hospital was just a mile and a half from the family home, but by the time an ambulance was called it was too late.

Adeleye, who denies gross negligence manslaughter, didn’t provide consent forms or risk and procedure information to Goodluck’s parents before or after the operation, which had been arranged through a friend of Goodluck’s parents.

Once the defendant had met the child’s mother, Sylvia Attiko, the procedure was carried out.

Adrian Darbishire, prosecuting, said: “Sylvia didn’t see the cut as she had closed her eyes, as you can understand — but the only instrument she saw was a pair of scissors. Goodluck had had no anaesthetic or local pain relief at this point. By the time Sylvia opened her eyes the operation was over.”

Goodluck’s mother saw drops of blood, but Adeleye reassured her saying the bleeding would stop.

The £100 had been handed over and she performed no proper checks on the boy before she left, it is alleged. She then left Goodluck in the hands of people with no medical training.

Later that evening Goodluck continued to bleed, the court heard. The worried parents phoned Adeleye, of Sarnia Court, Salford, who said they should apply olive oil to control the bleeding. The prosecution claims Adeleye should have told the parents to call 999 or take the baby to hospital.

Emergency services were called next morning, when the baby was unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at Royal Oldham Hospital. A post mortem showed the youngster died of a haemorrhage.

Mr Darbishire pointed out the home operation was not illegal and that circumcision does not need to be performed by a health professional, though a practitioner has a “duty of care” to the patient.

The trial continues.