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.
Assisted dying could become legal in England and Wales after the bill was backed by MPs in a historic vote.
Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill received 330 yes votes compared to 275 noes at its second reading in the House of Commons – a majority of 55.
Politics Live: MPs voting on historic assisted dying legislation
The bill would allow adults who are terminally ill with just six months left to live to request medical assistance to end their lives.
Today’s result means the legislation will now progress to the committee stage for scrutiny, with the Lords also to be given opportunities to express their views on the measure before it potentially becomes law.
MPs were given a free vote – meaning they could side with their conscience and not along party lines, with the government staying neutral on the matter.
The division list showed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed the proposal, as did Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
But other cabinet members like Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood voted against the bill, having previously warned about vulnerable people being coerced and of a “slippery slope of death on demand”.
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MPs debate assisted dying
The vote came after a five-hour debate in the chamber, which drew emotional arguments on both sides.
Conservative former minister Andrew Mitchell revealed he changed his mind on assisted dying after finding himself with “tears pouring down my face” on hearing the stories of constituents whose loved ones had died “in great pain and great indignity”.
On the other side of the argument, veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott said assisted dying could result in sick people “feeling like a burden” on society, adding: ” I can imagine myself saying that in particular circumstances.”
She warned: “If this bill passes, we will have the NHS as a fully-funded 100% suicide service but palliative care will only be funded at 30% at best.”
Bill about ‘choice and dignity’
Opening the debate on the topic, Labour backbencher Ms Leadbeater said the bill was about giving dying people “choice, autonomy, and dignity” – saying the current law was “failing” them.
Kim Leadbeater: PA
Read More:
Two people reveal contrasting views on assisted dying
Five stories that bring the assisted dying debate home
She has insisted her bill contains “the most robust safeguards” of any assisted dying legislation in the word.
This includes two independent doctors having to approve the decision, followed by a high-court judge, with the person having to administer the drugs themselves.
The legislation also includes a maximum 14-year prison sentence for anyone who coerces someone into requesting assisted dying or taking the medicine.
Speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby after the vote, an emotional Ms Leadbeater said she was “incredibly proud” of the result and parliament must now “take on board everything that’s been discussed in the chamber”, including the state of palliative care and the rights of disabled people.
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