Parents of baby who ignored warning signs their child was ill convicted of neglecting their son

The ‘cruel’ parents of a baby boy have been convicted of neglecting their son in the final days before his sudden death. 

Kayleigh Clarke, 32, and Michael Higginson, 52, failed to get medical attention for seven-week-old Ronnie Higginson at their Stoke-on-Trent home until it was too late.

The alarm was only raised when paramedics discovered Ronnie in cardiac arrest at his home on Derwent Street, in Cobridge on the evening of November 26, 2019. He died in hospital less than half an hour later.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Ronnie had been unwell four days beforehand. 

The baby had been sniffling, off his food, and struggling to breathe. His parents had been advised to seek medical attention.

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Kayleigh Clarke, 32, (left) and Michael Higginson, 52, (right) were both convicted of child cruelty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court 

However, they failed to do so until November 26 just before Ronnie passed away. The court accepted that the defendants did not cause Ronnie’s death but their failure to take any immediate action likely caused Ronnie unnecessary suffering or injury to his health.

Clarke and Higginson were both convicted of child cruelty. They will be sentenced later this year.

Staffordshire Police welcomed the couple’s convictions.

Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Hannan, from the force’s major and organised crime department, said: ‘This was a truly tragic case in which a seven-week-old baby boy died in the care of two people who should have been there to protect him. 

‘Our investigation found that medical attention did not appear to have been sought for Ronnie when he was unwell. 

‘Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by Ronnie’s death.’