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The heroin-addicted parents of an "at risk" nine-month-old baby who was found dead in a squalid flat were responsible for his death and not the care services working to help them, a coroner ruled today.
Perrin Barlow died on July 16, 2002 in a flat in Plymouth, Devon, from bronchial pneumonia which was contributed to by dehydration and being underweight.
On the day he died he was vomiting and "looked like he wanted to give up on life" but his mother, Stephanie Horrocks, and her partner, Mark McAndrew, ignored pleas from friends to take him immediately to hospital, the inquest was told.
Later that day an ambulance was called but when paramedics arrived Perrin, who was on the social services at risk register, was already cold and blue with no pulse.
He was pronounced dead at hospital an hour later.
At the inquest at Plymouth Crown Court Coroner Nigel Meadows ruled that he died from natural causes and that the neglect of his parents contributed.
He said he was satisfied Perrin was showing symptoms for at least 24 hours before he died and if he had received medical attention in the 10 to 12 hours before death he probably would have survived.
"His death has to relate to the care, or omission of care, by Miss Horrocks and Mr McAndrew," Mr Meadows said. "It does not reflect on social services or the other health and support workers involved.
"Ultimately the responsibility for Perrin's death is with Miss Horrocks and Mr McAndrew."
Perrin's father, Peter Barlow, died in a road accident before he was born.
Horrocks, 27, and McAndrew, 36, pleaded guilty to child cruelty at Plymouth Crown Court in February 2004, McAndrew was sentenced to 15 months and Horrocks to two years. She was found dead in her cell four days later.
Mr Meadows excused McAndrew from the inquest due to his mental and physical state.
The inquest heard that Horrocks' neighbour Theresa Kelly had contacted social services on numerous occasions about the family.
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