A CORONER has ruled that the ‘cot death’ of a two-month-old baby in Rossendale was due to unexplained natural causes.

Experts were unable to say why the apparently healthy Rowan Elizabeth Andrew died on November 30 last year, Burnley Coroner’s Court was told.

Rowan was discovered by her mother Victoria in the bedroom of her home in Hall Fold, Whitworth, and she immediately alerted the emergency services, an inquest heard.

But the baby girl, who had an older brother Henry, aged two-and-a-half, was later pronounced dead at Rochdale Infirmary.

Consultant paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbould conducted a post mortem examination on Rowan shortly afterwards and could provide no clues as why she died.

Dr Newbould said she found a virus in the baby’s nose but nothing which would have affected her vital signs.

Further checks were made for congenital defects, X-rays were done and checks were made for symptoms of every commonly-known disease and infection among infants.

But the doctor added: “The cause of Rowan’s death was recorded as unascertained.

“In the majority of post mortems that we do on babies who died in the first year of life unexpectedly, we do not find anything, like in this case.”

The inquest heard Rowan would occasionally sleep in a basket in her parent’s room or in their bed. Dr Newbould said higher recorded incidences of cot death occurred in babies who had slept with their parents.

Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, coroner Richard Taylor said he appreciated that Rowan’s death probably felt like “anything other than that”.

Mr Taylor added: “But that does appear to be exactly what it was.

"The doctor has tried to eliminate every other possible factor and give you a full and comprehensive report.”