Baby found dead in UK prison after 'inmate gives birth alone'

4 October 2019, 14:06

A baby has been found dead in HMP Bronzefield in Surrey after an inmate was allegedly left to give birth alone.

The facility is the largest female prison in the UK and is owned and operated by Sodexo justice services.

Vicky Robinson, Director at HMP Bronzefield, confirmed that a woman at gave birth on 27 September but the baby did not survive.

"We are supporting the mother through this distressing time and our thoughts are with her, her family and our staff involved," she said.

"We are undertaking a full review and working with all relevant authorities during their investigations.

"It would not be appropriate to comment any further.”

A source told The Guardian the woman was in the advanced stages of her pregnancy and gave birth alone in her cell in the early hours.

When prison staff visited the cell in the morning the baby was unresponsive.

Surrey police have launched an investigation into the death which is currently being treated as unexplained.

A spokesperson said: "We were called to HMP Bronzefield at 9.07am on Friday September 27 following reports of the death of a child.

"The death is currently being treated as unexplained and an investigation is continuing to establish the full circumstances of what happened."

Bronzefield has the capacity for 572 inmates and features a mother and baby unit for children born in the prison, or for mothers who have already given birth before being jailed.

The mothers are permitted to keep children with them with them until they are 18 months old.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: "We were called to HMP Bronzefield at 9.07am on Friday September 27 following reports of the death of a child.

"The death is currently being treated as unexplained and an investigation is continuing to establish the full circumstances of what happened."