Racism was at the heart of my heavily pregnant daughter’s death, mother alleges
It’s been three years since dancer and influencer Nicole Thea died whilst eight months pregnant with her child, who was called Reign.
But for Nicole’s family, those three long years mean “nothing”.
“I still feel like I how I did the day that she passed away – the first thing I think of in the morning is Nicole and Reign. When I go to sleep, it’s Nicole and Reign,” says her mother Samantha Antoine.
It’s not lost on Samantha that as she should be celebrating her first grandchild’s third birthday, she is instead marking the anniversary of his death, along with his mother – who was her only child.
“Reign will never be able to ride a bike, I will never be able to pick him up from school, take him swimming.
“And one of the saddest things is Nicole will never get to see Reign and that bothers me. She was so excited to see him.”
Nicole died in July 2020 of an underlying heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) – a condition Nicole’s paternal grandmother died from in 1986.
She had previously complained to midwives about shortness of breath and even spoke in YouTube videos to hundreds of thousands of her followers that she felt like her baby was “eating her from the inside out”.
Dr Aneil Malhotra, a consultant cardiologist, has since tested some family members for the often-hereditary condition.
He says it is always important to address symptoms – and a “baseline EGC, electrical trace of the heart, detects HCM in around 90% of cases”.
He says HCM is prevalent in all ethnic groups, but can be more difficult to identify in black and ethnic minority patients, which he believes is linked to lack of research.
Nicole died in July 2020 of an underlying heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Mother believes Nicole’s death could have been avoided
Samantha claims that – if Nicole’s concerns had been listened to – her daughter’s death could have been avoided, believing her daughter was failed on many levels, and racism was at the heart of it.
“I also believe that because Nicole is a woman of colour, that she was failed on that front because she just wasn’t taken seriously.
“I think if she wasn’t a woman of colour, she would have been referred to as a consultant,” Samantha said.
According to the most recent data from a report by Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries (MBRRACE-UK), black and ethnic minority women can be around five to six times more likely to die in childbirth.
Sadly, it’s not just mothers from ethnically diverse backgrounds more likely to experience higher morbidity rates.
In 2021, babies from the black ethnic group continued to have the highest rates of death, according to the ONS.
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‘Every maternal death is a tragedy’ – MP
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are absolutely clear we must ensure maternity care is of the same high standard for everyone.
“We set up the Maternity Disparities Taskforce which brings together experts from across the health system, government departments and the voluntary sector to explore and consider evidence-based interventions to tackle maternal disparities.”
But Caroline Nokes, Conservative MP and chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, says the government has fallen short of setting a target.
She said “every maternal death is a tragedy” adding that her “heart goes out to Samantha”.
“I think it’s absolutely crucial that all women, particularly black and other minoritised communities are listened to when they’re pregnant. They know their own bodies best.”
She said she is disappointed there hasn’t been a “specific strategy or target around black maternal deaths” – adding that cases like Nicole’s “highlight how crucial it is that we make sure women are listened to that their health concerns are acted upon.”
Samantha says the statistics highlighting the disparities other women of colour face is proof there are wider societal issues at play, and the family want accountability, but until that happens they have taken it among themselves to do something about it.
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‘Biggest NHS maternity scandal’
Foundation will keep Nicole’s name alive
Global Boga, Nicole’s partner and father to Reign, said: “It’s been three years, but I haven’t lived.”
“I only started to feel myself again when I set up the foundation to honour her and my son.
“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody.”
“Nicole literally made my life. All she ever wanted was to be a mother, and I could see that, so I wanted to be the father of her kids.”
Alongside Samantha and other family members, he is setting up the Nicole Thea Reign foundation to help support mothers.
He hopes the foundation, which will be set up to mark Nicole’s birthday on 29 July, will go a long way to keep their name alive, as well as helping others.
“We have lost a great queen, but she is not gone forever. She is in us, she is in our soul,” he said.
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The first vote on the assisted dying bill is not only hugely consequential, it’s also hugely unpredictable and even as the vote draws near it still feels like it could go either way.
MPs will debate the bill, brought forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, in parliament today before they get a free vote on the legislation.
There are a few reasons why the potential outcome of the vote is difficult to predict. Firstly, the last Commons vote on this issue was back in 2015. It was also a Private Members’ Bill and a free vote, that was defeated by 331 to 119 – 199 MPs didn’t vote and one abstained.
That may seem like a useful starting point to predict future results but there has been an unprecedented turnover of MPs since then.
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It was less than a decade ago but over two-thirds of those MPs from 2015 are no longer in parliament. This means there’s no voting record that can help us out this time round.
Secondly, it’s a free vote so we can’t, as we usually would, look to the political parties to work out the numbers.
Every single one of the 650 MPs must make up their minds for themselves and they have all taken a slightly different approach to the process.
How MPs have told Sky News they will vote on assisted dying
Some came out straight away and declared their position publicly. Some took their time and have only decided in the last few days, putting out statements on social media platforms.
There are also those who prefer to keep it to themselves, and some who are genuinely still undecided and will be until they walk through the voting lobbies.
So, to get a sense of what could happen, at Sky News we have been monitoring declarations as well as reaching out to every MP personally.
This has given us, on the eve of the second reading, an informative but still incomplete picture.
So far we have confirmed that 181 MPs will vote for the bill, while 148 say they will vote against, and 300 are either undecided or haven’t revealed their decision.
There are also 20 MPs that won’t vote – the SNP because the changes won’t apply in Scotland, Sinn Fein who don’t sit in Westminster, and the Speaker and Deputy Speakers.
Of those who will vote but whose position is still unknown, about two-thirds are Labour MPs – a big chunk of those are brand new.
This is the deciding cohort, who just a few months into their roles will make a life-or-death decision that will influence generations to come – no pressure.
Ms Leadbeater has said she hopes parliament will “show itself at its best” by voting in favour of the bill.
In a statement on Thursday night, she said: “I hope this parliament will also be remembered for this major social reform that gives people autonomy over the end of their lives and puts right an injustice that has been left on the statute books for far too long.
“People will be looking in on parliament as it debates this important change to the law – a change that, when we most need it, could bring comfort to any one of us or to somebody we love.”
Read more on assisted dying:
Analysis: Bill could be wrecked by dirty tricks
Five stories that bring the assisted dying debate home
David Cameron comes out in support of bill
How MPs are making up their minds
What does the bill propose?
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Lord Cameron to support assisted dying bill
What could make the difference?
Most MPs tell us they have been poring over the legislation line-by-line and listening intently to their constituents.
But beyond that, there are external factors that will no doubt have influenced their thinking.
Public opinion will be high on the list, with the latest YouGov poll – one of many – showing an overwhelming majority (73%) of the public are in favour of a change in the law.
The other will be how Cabinet ministers vote, with many high profile and respected names, Ed Miliband and Hilary Benn among them, coming out in favour.
MPs will vote in the House of Commons on the bill
More controversial though are those who oppose the bill.
In particular, the Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood have made the news with their views.
They will both have to take a leading role in implementing the legislation if it passes.
Mr Streeting shocked Westminster when he revealed he had changed his mind after voting for the 2015 version.
He also ruffled feathers among colleagues when he appeared to breach the etiquette around free votes, by repeatedly raising concerns around extra pressures on the NHS and making the case for improving palliative care instead.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting changed his mind on the issue. Pic: PA
Mr Streeting’s position and approach have made the bill’s supporters nervous that new MPs will fall in behind him.
In contrast, other big beasts – the prime minister, the chancellor and the foreign secretary – remain silent on which way they will go, aware that their opinions could sway the result.
As it stands, after all the number crunching, it looks likely that this landmark legislation will pass the second reading.
But with so many unknowns, both sides will feel that even at this late stage, it’s still impossible to call.
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