THE parents of a baby who died at birth were given the wrong body in a traumatic funeral mix-up, it was revealed on Thursday, July 4.

The Watford couple, who do not wish to be named, saw their newborn baby die at Watford General Hospital last Monday and unknowingly buried the body of another infant at London Road Cemetery in St Albans last Friday.

On Monday, the grieving pair were told their baby was in fact at Co-operative Funeral Services in Lower High Street, Watford, after staff due to collect the second child discovered the mistaken identity.

The undertaker has accepted full responsibility and two workers have been suspended, pending an investigation.

Meanwhile, the buried baby's true parents, who also wish to remain unnamed, were informed of the shocking muddle.

The family, also believed to be from the Watford area, have agreed to leave their child buried in the current grave, near the tomb of the first couple's baby, who was buried on Thursday, July 4.

It is yet not known if the families are planning to take legal action against the undertaker, which holds a contract for burials with the hospital.

A Co-operative Funeral Services spokesman said: "This was a regrettable identification error for which we were responsible.

"The error became apparent on Monday when we came to collect a second baby due for burial on Tuesday.

"The family of the first baby have requested the buried baby should remain undisturbed and the other was buried nearby.

"We are responsible for both funerals under the contract we have with Watford General.

"As soon as the error was spotted, we alerted the hospital and we have obviously expressed our deepest regret to both families.

"As a result of this incident, we have suspended two members of staff at our Lower High Street, Watford, branch while we carry out a full investigation.

"It would appear at this stage that our own strict identification procedures were not followed.

"Such incidents are extremely rare but obviously when they do happen, they are deeply distressing for all concerned that is the family, us and the hospital."

A West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman said Watford General had no involvement in the mix-up and said it was reviewing its long-term contract with Co-operative Funeral Services.

July 5, 2002 13:30