Manchester baby circumcision death mum 'not told of danger'
- Published
A mother whose baby died after a home circumcision by a nurse has told a court she was not told of possible complications with the procedure.
Manchester Crown Court was told four-week old Goodluck Caubergs died the day after Grace Adeleye carried out the procedure without anaesthetic.
Sylvia Attiko, Goodluck's mother, wept as she recalled events at her home in Greater Manchester in April 2010.
Mrs Adeleye, 66, denies manslaughter by gross negligence.
'Ragged' wound
The court was told the procedure took place on a low table in the living room at the home in Chadderton, with Mrs Adeleye only using scissors, forceps and olive oil.
The property is a mile and a half from Royal Oldham Hospital, the jury was told.
It is alleged the defendant, who was paid £100 to carry out the procedure, left a "ragged" wound that bled.
She then used cotton wool and a brown liquid, which Ms Attiko took to be iodine, to clean the wound before a white bandage was applied to the cut.
Adrian Darbishire QC, prosecuting, asked Ms Attiko: "Did she say anything about possible complications, things that could go wrong? "No," she said.
"Any warnings about a danger sign? Bleeding - to how much was normal or abnormal?" Mr Darbishire added. Ms Attiko replied again: "No."
She said Mrs Adeleye, of Sarnia Court, Salford, told her it was normal for the wound to bleed and it would stop. The court heard Goodluck died from blood loss within 24 hours.
The court heard Ms Attiko is from Lagos, Nigeria and came to the UK in 2008 on a student visa to study.
Ms Attiko told the court that Nigerians in the UK who have sons tend to have them circumcised at home some time after the boy is eight days old.
She said she had not met Mrs Adeleye before and that she was recommended through a family friend.
The court heard that Mrs Adeleye gave the child some Calpol, then instructed Ms Attiko how to rebandage the wound before leaving.
The trial continues.
- Published27 November 2012