The family of a baby who suffered a brain injury when she was just 10 weeks old have been unable to find out from an inquest what led to her death.

Emma Serrano, area coroner for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, recorded an open conclusion at the end of Phoebe-Rose Douglas' inquest.

Blurton baby Phoebe-Rose was taken by paramedics to Royal Stoke University Hospital after her mother found she had stopped breathing on the morning of October 25, 2019.

She was resuscitated but tests revealed she had suffered severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen and she died four days later.

A urine sample showed a level of cocaine and tests carried out on hair samples indicated she had been exposed to cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

Parents Rachel Bourne and John Douglas both admitted child cruelty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in 2024. Bourne was jailed for 31 months and Douglas sentenced to 10 months' custody, suspended for two years.

Phoebe-Rose was born in Halifax in August 2019, where her father lived. She returned to Stoke-on-Trent a month later with her mother. Social services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council as well as their colleagues in Yorkshire had been aware of Phoebe-Rose and her parents.

The medical cause of death was given as a hypoxic ischemic brain injury.

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Ms Serrano said: "We have had evidence of drugs she was exposed to in the womb and out of the womb, but I cannot say it has caused Phoebe's death. I cannot say if it has naturally or unnaturally occurred. I cannot say this was a sudden or unexpected death in inference of sudden infant death syndrome because of the risk factor associated with smoking and using drugs of parents.

"It cannot be said the drugs found in Phoebe's system were put there deliberately. It could have been an unintentional transfer through the air, a bottle being contaminated, or through touch.

"What I can tell you is she was born a healthy baby. During her life she had been exposed to drugs. There had been referrals to social services due to her parents using drugs and due to the condition of the property.

"here was no evidence of injuries, but the condition she came into hospital would not be expected of a child that was being properly cared for.

"There is not enough evidence for me to tell you what exactly caused the hypoxic brain injury. That is the reason I am going to leave the conclusion open."