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A Wirral woman who spent 50 years searching for her stillborn son's grave is urging a formal government apology over the treatment of families affected by the 'sleeping babies' scandal.
As reported by Birkenhead News, Gina Jacobs, who lives in Greasby, gave birth to her son Robert in February 1969, but sadly, he was stillborn. Ms. Jacobs did not see her baby, and her husband was told to collect him and leave him at the cemetery without giving him a name.
Before the mid 1980s, mothers across the UK who had stillbirths or neonatal deaths were denied holding or seeing their babies. Shockingly, this continued in some cases until the 1990s.
According to reports, Gina's husband was told an "outrageous lie" that their son would be buried alongside a woman who died at the same time. Shockingly, Robert was found 50 years later at Landican Cemetery in Woodchurch alongside more than 60 other stillborn children born between 1968 and 1969.
Gina spoke at Liverpool Town Hall of the scandal, and called out the "despicable and inhumane way" mothers and babies had been treated "in a so-called civilised country".
She spoke of the loss and the trauma still haunting her.
Gina added: "All we ask is that the babies and these families get some recognition and that all cemeteries are instructed by all councils to give every assistance possible in helping people find where their baby is sleeping."
Some families have never been able to find their babies. Linda and Eddie Bruchez from Gateacre have embarked on their own search 50 years after their baby was stillborn.
Gina has now supported a motion brought by Liverpool councillor Kris Brown, which calls on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to instruct his government to offer a formal apology to affected families. The motion, supported across all political parties, demands that ministers take immediate national action to address decades of grief and injustice.
Councillor Brown said: "For decades, thousands of parents were denied the basic human right to say goodbye to their children, left in the dark about where they were buried. While local authorities like Liverpool are waiving cemetery fees and building local memorials, true healing requires national accountability.
He continued, "I know that Andy Burnham has strong convictions and a history of fighting for justice – just look at Hillsborough. Now is the chance for his government to take another step for historic justice. The government must deliver a formal apology in Parliament and take responsibility for these historic practices."
Councillor Liam Robinson, the leader of Liverpool Council, apologised to Gina, and said the council will "do everything" to support her and others who were victims of scandal.
