AN inquest into the deaths of two new mums who gave birth at a Winchester hospital begins today.
Amy Kimmance, 39, and Jasmine Pickett, 29, died shortly before Christmas 2007 after developing complications caused by the same infection, called Group A Streptococcus. Both had given birth at Winchester’s Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) on December 21.
Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short will preside over the five-day inquest, which is being held at The Council Chamber, Castle Avenue, Winchester.
Mrs Kimmance, the head of maths at St Swithun’s in Winchester, developed fatal toxic shock syndrome as a result of the infection while Mrs Pickett died from a sudden onset of severe pneumonia.
On December 23, two days after giving birth to her baby girl Tess, Mrs Kimmance died. A day later, on Christmas Eve, first-time mum Mrs Pickett died, three days after delivering son Christopher.
Bosses at the RHCH have maintained the women’s deaths were a coincidence.
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