Baby dies after heart attack in synagogue

Published on 16/02/2007 12:33

POLICE are investigating the death of a baby boy who suffered a cardiac arrest after he stopped breathing at a synagogue.

The eight-day-old baby, who had reportedly just been circumcised, was taken to hospital after he suddenly developed breathing problems at a synagogue in Golders Green, north west London, the Metropolitan Police said.

A police spokesman said he was taken to the Royal Free Hospital by the Hatzola Ambulance Service at about 8.25am on February 1.

He was later transferred to University College Hospital, where he died on February 9. A post-mortem examination found the baby suffered a cardiac arrest and oxygen starvation to the brain. The cause of death has not been confirmed and police are treating the death as unexplained, the spokesman said.

A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews named the boy as Amitai. He said: "We are deeply saddened by the event. There were absolutely no problems at the time of the circumcision and it was about 15 minutes afterwards that it was noticed there were some breathing difficulties."