Cause of baby's death still unknown one year later

News imageBBC A police car is parked on a street with its rear facing the camera. On the left is a pavement with some bins on, which a grass verge. To the right is a brick wall. There are houses in the background of the imageBBC
West Midlands Police and a coroner for Birmingham and Solihull confirmed they were still waiting for the baby's post mortem results

The cause of death of a baby boy who suffered a medical emergency at his home in Birmingham is still not known a year later.

Named locally as Kai, he was found in a critical condition at the property on Culford Drive, Bartley Green, on 25 June last year, and died shortly after arriving in hospital.

A woman who was arrested on suspicion of child neglect at the house remains on police bail.

The Royal College of Pathologists blamed the long delays for post mortem results on a shortage of perinatal and paediatric pathologists.

There are no paediatric pathologists currently employed in the West Midlands and just two perinatal pathologists based at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

They conduct autopsies on foetuses and babies for the whole region.

News imageA street sign that says Culford Drive, cul de sac, is in the foreground. Behind the sign, slightly out of focus, is a patch of grass with a row of houses behind it, and a block of flats further in the background
West Midlands Police carried out a welfare check hours before the baby died

The police watchdog said it would not be investigating West Midlands Police officers who carried out a welfare check hours before the baby died.

In a statement the Independent Office for Police Conduct said it had "concluded it was appropriate for the matter to be returned back to the force for it to be handled in a reasonable manner".

Neighbours have told the BBC the house in the cul-de-sac has been empty since Kai's death.

They are planning a balloon release to mark the one year anniversary of his passing.