A second midwife has been charged over the death of a newborn during a homebirth on the north coast of New South Wales.
On 2 October 2024 a privately practising midwife attended a home near Newcastle to assist a woman in labour.
Over the following two days, NSW police allege, the midwife failed to respond to complications and to the mother’s requests to attend hospital.
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email“The midwife did not act upon signs of complications and requests by the woman to attend hospital,” NSW police will allege in court.
On 4 October the woman attended John Hunter hospital where the baby boy was delivered by emergency caesarean.
The mother and baby suffered significant medical complications, police say.
On 10 October the baby died in hospital.
In August last year, a 36-year-old midwife, Oyebola Coxon, was charged with manslaughter and reckless grievous bodily harm.
After further inquiries, a second woman, Jordan Michaela Holland, was arrested and charged with manslaughter on Friday, police said.
Holland was refused bail before appearing in the bail court on Friday.
Coxon’s matter is listed for committal on 15 April.
No pleas have yet been entered for either matter, the local court has said.
A homebirth means someone plans to give birth at home under the care of a midwife with reduced medical intervention, as opposed to giving birth in a hospital or a free birth which is unsupported by a medical professional.
