A HEALTHY and happy baby boy died after falling asleep in his parents' bed.

Archie Thompson would not wake when his mother tried to give the 11-month-old his feed.

South Staffordshire Coroner's Court heard his parents Gina and Ashley had a few drinks at their home near Uttoxeter for a birthday celebration on April 18.

The youngster's mother fell asleep on the sofa at 11pm as Ashley took the baby to bed.

But, in the early hours of the following morning, she found her son lifeless and lying face down in the middle of the bed.

Speaking at the inquest, DC Julia Muzyka from Staffordshire Police's child protection team, said: "Both parents had consumed four cans of beer and a couple of glasses of wine.

"Archie had his own cot but normally fell asleep in his parents' bed and they would move him to the cot.

"But when Gina woke at 4.15am to give Archie his feed he would not wake. They tried to resuscitate him but could not open his mouth because it was so stiff."

Despite a wide range of tests, including brain examinations and blood screening, doctors could not find a cause of death.

But the court heard the unsafe sleeping environment at the family home in High Street, Stramshall, is believed to have contributed.

Coroner Andrew Haigh was told the bedroom was hot and the baby always slept lying face down.

Dr Roger Malcolmson, pathologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital, said: "Archie was born at 38 weeks by normal delivery.

"In the two weeks before his death he had a cough but was described as happy, smiling and well.

"He did not have a temperature, wasn't on medication and had no allergies.

"Even on the day before he was described as entirely well.

"I have not been able to find a specific cause of death."

Dr Malcolmson said there were "certain features" which were not compatible with natural death.

"It was an unsafe sleeping environment and I feel this was likely to be contributory factor," he added.

"There were a number of small haemorrhages in Archie's chest cavity which can sometimes be associated with blocked airways, but we cannot say for certain.

"Higher numbers of sudden death in infants occur in children who sleep on their front.

"I do not think there is any evidence of trauma, neglect or abuse."

Mr Thompson, aged 28, said: "Archie would always sleep on his front, even if we laid him on his back, and he'd often sleep with a dummy.

"He used to lie in the corner of his cot and I check on him because he didn't look like he was breathing."

Mr Haigh said it was a tragic death as Archie's mother made the "awful discovery" that he was dead.

"Sadly the cause of death is not clear so I leave it undetermined and record an open verdict," the coroner added.

"I'm sorry that whatever happened lead to his death."

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