Doctor charged with manslaughter over mother’s death during homebirth to stand trial

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A doctor who helped in a homebirth where a mother died has been committed to stand trial charged with manslaughter. Dr Robyn Mary James, who is yet to enter a plea on the charge, appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court for a committal hearing on Thursday. It's alleged she failed in the "duty imposed on her" as a doctor, which was alleged to have killed 41-year-old Vicki Butler.

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00:0041-year-old Vicki Butler died after giving birth at her home to her sixth child in December

00:092017.

00:10Dr. Robin James, who attended Ms. Butler after the baby had been born, has been charged with

00:15manslaughter.

00:17The Ipswich Magistrates Court heard today Dr. James was called to Ms. Butler's home

00:21at about 3am, arriving two hours later, around an hour after the baby had been born.

00:28And that triple zero wasn't called for another hour and 40 minutes.

00:32Obstetrician Dr. Douglas Keeping has reviewed the case for authorities.

00:36He told the court she was dead when the ambulance arrived.

00:40When they got there, there was no pulse.

00:42She's lost almost all of her blood.

00:45Another forensic expert told the court that, according to statements from paramedics, Ms.

00:49Butler phoned her friend to say she was experiencing excessive bleeding following the unassisted

00:55birth.

00:56Ms. Butler was rushed to the Ipswich Hospital, where she received 28 units of blood, but

01:01ultimately died, allegedly from a postpartum hemorrhage caused by the placenta not fully

01:07detaching.

01:08The court heard there were differences in opinion from medical experts over how long

01:14the hemorrhaging would have been noticeable, a point reiterated by Defence Barrister Craig

01:20Eberhardt.

01:21But ultimately, Magistrate Robert Walker decided there was enough evidence to commit the

01:26case to trial in the Supreme Court.

01:28Dr. James is yet to enter a plea and remains on bail.

01:32She is currently unable to practice as a doctor in Australia.

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