Mom, 34, And Baby Die In Home Birth Tragedy After Following 'Most Intense Birth Plan' Midwife Had Ever Seen

A mother and her newborn baby have tragically passed away after following what was described as an ‘intense’ home birth plan, according to an ongoing inquest into their deaths.

Jennifer Cahill, a 34-year-old from Greater Manchester, England, died just four days after giving birth to her daughter, Agnes. The newborn sadly passed away only hours before her mother. The heartbreaking case has shocked many across the UK as details continue to emerge during the inquest.

According to reports from the Manchester Evening News, a community midwife told the court that Jennifer was ‘very keen’ to deliver her baby at home. She said Jennifer’s birth plan was unlike anything she had seen before, calling it ‘the most intense’ set of notes she’d ever read. The inquest is now working to understand how such a tragedy could have happened despite medical oversight.

Midwife Andrea Walmsley recalled in court on October 14 how she and her colleague, Julie Turner, were called to Jennifer’s home on June 2 last year. They found the expectant mother laboring in what she described as a ‘very dim’ room, creating an atmosphere that immediately stood out to her.

Walmsley said she quickly became concerned when she realized Jennifer had refused several recommended medications and observations, including a syntometrine injection, which helps reduce the risk of heavy bleeding after childbirth. Those refusals raised alarm among the attending professionals.

She told Coroner Joanne Kearsley: "When I asked for a urine sample, it was almost like she didn't like what I was saying."

Jennifer Cahill died just days after giving birth as did her newborn baby Reach/MEN Media

The court also heard that Jennifer had chosen to reject drugs that could have made labor safer or more manageable, instead insisting on a completely natural process. The midwife explained further: "She did not want any observations, she did not want any drugs and she did not want any examinations."

According to her testimony, Jennifer remained mostly silent throughout the birth, speaking softly and only occasionally to her husband, Rob Cahill. Her quiet demeanor stood in sharp contrast to the high-stress environment unfolding around her.

At around 6:45 a.m. on June 3, Rob called emergency services after realizing baby Agnes was not responding. Despite attempts to resuscitate her, the newborn could not be saved, the inquest heard.

Rob immediately took the baby to North Manchester General Hospital, desperate for help. But as he arrived, he received devastating news — his wife, Jennifer, had also been rushed to the same hospital following serious post-birth complications. Both mother and baby could not be saved.

Following the incident, local hospital staff reportedly began marking home births as ‘out of guidance’ and ‘against advice’ in similar high-risk cases, indicating that Jennifer’s death prompted a change in hospital policy and cautionary procedures.

Rob later said that if they had been fully informed about the possible risks beforehand, they likely would have chosen to deliver their second child in a hospital setting instead of at home.

During the inquest, it was revealed that midwife Walmsley had not been informed about Jennifer’s previous traumatic experience during the birth of her first child, Rudy. Records from the hospital showed she had lost more than 800ml of blood following a postpartum hemorrhage caused by a large tear and episiotomy due to Rudy’s size.

Jennifer also developed a Streptococcus B infection after that birth, and her baby contracted sepsis shortly afterward. The experience had left deep emotional scars, according to her husband.

Rob explained that the difficult delivery of their first child three years earlier had played a major role in Jennifer’s decision to avoid a hospital birth this time. He added that she had felt unsupported and dismissed by hospital staff during Rudy’s birth, which further pushed her toward the idea of giving birth at home with more control over her experience.

Rob said his wife had endured a 'traumatic' hospital birth three years before Reach/MEN Media

When asked why she hadn’t been more assertive with Jennifer during the birth, Walmsley explained: "We're well aware of the complaints that have been going around about us, and I think that's why it is the way it is."

Dr. Azal El-Adwan, a trainee obstetrician who had previously met Jennifer due to her high-risk pregnancy status, testified that she had advised against a home birth during their meeting in March last year, according to Metro’s coverage of the case.

Dr. El-Adwan told the court that Jennifer seemed determined to give birth at home and had discussed what medications and interventions would be available if a hospital transfer became necessary. When asked why she didn’t explicitly warn Jennifer about the potential risk of death, she explained that it wasn’t ‘standard practice’ to discuss that level of risk with expectant mothers because of its rarity. She believed Jennifer had a clear understanding of the possible dangers but had made an informed choice.

The meeting concluded with Jennifer still leaning toward a home birth, though she said she would finalize her decision after being tested for Group B Streptococcus. Dr. El-Adwan recommended medication as a preventive measure regardless of the test result, but Jennifer maintained her preference for a home setting.

When questioned whether she might have referred Jennifer to a different consultant for a second opinion, Dr. El-Adwan responded: "I didn't feel that it was necessary at the time, but now I think it would have been better to include somebody else."

The coroner has since raised serious concerns about whether medical staff are too cautious when discussing risks with high-risk expectant mothers, especially when the word ‘death’ is deliberately avoided during consultations. The case has prompted broader discussions about how much emphasis should be placed on full disclosure when advising women who prefer home births.

As the inquest continues, Jennifer’s official cause of death has yet to be confirmed.

The case remains open as authorities work to piece together exactly what went wrong during what was meant to be a peaceful home birth.