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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Ruby Davies & Kieran Isgin

Tragedy as boy, 5, drowned in bath while mum was wrapping presents

A five-year-old 'loving son and brother' drowned in the bath on New Year's Eve while his mum was wrapping presents in another room, an inquest heard.

Jayden-Jay Silvester is believed to have suffered a seizure in the bath before he was discovered unresponsive at his home.

Despite desperate efforts to resuscitate him from his mum, Lisa Johnson, as well as paramedics and NHS staff, the young boy tragically died at the Royal Stoke University Hospital later that day, StokeonTrentLive reports.

Read more: Terrifying moment driver nearly smashes into police car after cutting across M66 in 100mph chase

It came just 34 days after the boy's dad, Jason Silvester, passed away on November 27.

In a statement, the heartbroken mum explained she had taken her son and his younger brother Oscar out shopping for balloons on December 31 before Oscar's New Year's Day birthday.

They were planning on visiting the park that afternoon.

Lisa said: "Jayden-Jay got on the sofa and didn't want to go to the park because he felt unwell.

"His cheeks were red raw and so hot. Twenty minutes later my mum-in-law and sister-in-law came.

"I asked them to look after the children while I wrapped presents.

"Jayden-Jay came upstairs and asked if he could have a bath and he grabbed his head in pain.

"I went to the bathroom, turned on both taps and put some body wash into it. The bath was half full. I put him in the bath myself.

The five-year-old boy had a history of suffering seizures (Family Handout)

"I made sure he was OK. At this point he was sat in the bath and I asked my sister-in-law to get some Calpol and put it in Coke as Jayden-Jay wouldn't have it otherwise.

"He only took a sip and I was surprised because he's not usually allowed Coke and I thought he would drink more.

"I went into the bedroom and continued wrapping presents.

"Between five and 10 minutes later I shouted Jayden-Jay to ask if he was OK and he said he was.

"I only had one present left to wrap but I'd run out of paper. His grandmother came up to bring the wrapping paper and I asked her to check on Jayden-Jay.

"I heard her scream and I ran into the bathroom, she pulled him from the bath and I started CPR and chest compressions."

A 999 operator guided Lisa through CPR until paramedics arrived at their home in Waterside Drive, Blurton, with Jayden-Jay being quickly rushed to the hospital where he was later confirmed dead at 5.20pm.

An inquest heard the Newstead Primary Academy pupil had been born at just 24-weeks-old and spent 101 days on a neonatal unit - he remained on oxygen for 18 months and had a history of seizures.

In her statement, Lisa praised the young boy's school.

She said: "The teachers were extremely supportive, they had a good relationship and offered him one to one support.

"He was really coming on with his work and they allowed him to work in his own way and really encouraged him.

"He always did his best and went beyond expectations."

A post-mortem revealed the cause of death as drowning secondary to seizure.

A police report read out at the inquest stated that there was no water around the bath, suggesting there was no struggke.

It added that Jayden-Jay had the ability to get out of the bath if he wanted to.

Concluding the death was due to natural causes, area coroner for Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire Emma Serrano, said: "On the balance of probabilities he had a seizure whilst in the bath and that caused him to go under the water and pass away.

"He had a history of seizures when he was younger and had a temperature.

"Sadly because he had a seizure whilst in the bath, he went in the water and he drowned."

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