A baby boy died suddenly at 10-months-old after surviving a traumatic, premature birth, an inquest heard.

Coroner Dr Roy Palmer was unable to explain why little Albie Crisp died in his sleep on October 18 and recorded a verdict of sudden unexplained death in infancy at the inquest yesterday.

The tiny tot from Beckenham was born 12 weeks prematurely when his mother had a heart attack, six months into her pregnancy.

The mother and baby featured on the front page of the Croydon Guardian last year when they miraculously survived their incredible ordeal.

Cheryl Crisp, 36, “died” several times on the operating table at Mayday Hospital on December 2, 2008 after suffering a severe heart attack due to a blood clot.

Doctors battled to save her life and that of her premature son, when she went into labour after coming out of a six-day medically-induced coma.

From that moment on, little Albie’s life was a constant struggle, his lungs had not developed properly and he had to be fed through a tube in his stomach.

He spent the next eight months in a number of hospitals and doctors finally released him after treating him for a urinary tract infection.

His family was just settling into a normal routine when he died.

His heart-broken parents Cheryl and her partner Terry Kemp spoke of the moment they realised their precious son would not wake up.

Miss Crisp said he seemed fine at his 3am feed him but when she woke up at 8.30am his face was blue and he was not breathing.

Sam, Miss Crisp’s 16-year-old son from a previous relationship, called the ambulance while Mr Kemp frantically tried to get his son to breathe.

He said: “I could not open his mouth, I got up because I knew he had gone on. Sam took over from me and he would not give up.”

The inquest heard from paramedic Karen McConville who was part of the ambulance crew on the scene at 8.42am on October 18.

“They [ambulance crews] could hear someone sobbing, they followed the sound into the bedroom and saw a woman sitting on the bed clutching a baby. It was not breathing, very pale.”

She described how she tried to resuscitate Albie but he had no heart beat. Paramedics rushed him to Mayday Hospital where doctors struggled in vain to revive the little baby.

Dr Palmer said despite a thorough post mortem, no cause of death could be found.

He said: “I am so sorry you lost Albie in this sudden and sad way.

“Life can be hard at times.”

His parents paid tribute to their little son.

Mr Kemp said: “Our world seemed to end the day Albie died.

“He was a happy baby, he was not able to smile but he was always kicking his legs about, he wanted to grab stuff off me all the time and his eyes would follow you about the room.”

Albie’s brother Sam and 10-year-old sister Georgie adored him.

Cheryl, who spent a number of weeks in hospital recovering from her heart attack, said: “He saved my life, I like to think he said, ‘well she is ok now, I have had enough,’ and he just went to sleep.”

Terry said: “We would like to give our heartfelt thanks all the nurses and doctors who helped Albie during his life. Mayday Hospital were amazing, without their help we would never have gotten through this.”

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