A high-stakes investigation into U.K. maternity care is intensifying following harrowing court testimony delivered Wednesday, March 25. Kimberley Newark, 31, detailed how hospital staff dismissed a life-threatening arterial rupture as “trapped wind,” a catastrophic diagnostic failure that led to the death of her newborn daughter, Olivia.
The hearing at Woodvale Coroner’s Court revealed a systemic failure at the Princess Royal Hospital in West Sussex. In September 2024, Newark, then 34 weeks pregnant, arrived at the facility in “excruciating pain.” Rather than identifying an internal hemorrhage, medics administered Buscopan—a treatment for stomach cramps—and instructed Newark’s partner, Yann Trupiano, to return the following day.
A Preventable Catastrophe
Moments after Trupiano left the hospital, Newark suffered a “maternal collapse.” Surgeons discovered a ruptured splenic artery near her stomach, which resulted in a massive internal loss of approximately 14 liters of blood.
While Newark survived the emergency surgery after being placed in a medically induced coma, the delay proved fatal for her daughter. Olivia Trupiano was born via emergency cesarean section on Sept. 14, 2024, suffering from severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE)—a critical brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation. Olivia died five days later.
“I went to the hospital because I had fainted, was weak, dizzy, and in excruciating pain—pain I knew was not normal,” Newark testified. “They told me I had trapped wind… my pain never subsided and it turned out I was bleeding internally.”
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Systemic Failures Under Scrutiny
The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust is now the focal point of a broader maternity investigation. Legal representatives from Slater + Gordon Lawyers indicate that Newark and Trupiano are among at least 15 families seeking transparency and accountability regarding care standards at Trust facilities in Brighton, Worthing, Haywards Heath, and Chichester.
The family alleges that staff “ignored and dismissed” repeated warnings about Newark’s deteriorating condition.
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The Path Forward
Dr. Maggie Davies, chief nurse at the Trust, issued a statement expressing “desperate” regret for the family’s loss, noting that two internal reviews have been conducted. However, for the Newark family, the focus remains on systemic reform.
“We want to fight for change to make sure this doesn’t happen to other families,” Newark told the court. “We, along with the other families in the same position, need transparency and answers.”
The formal inquest into Olivia’s death is scheduled to resume on Oct. 5, 2026.
