A DISTRAUGHT mother ran into the street holding her dead baby and pleading for help.

The “well-looked after” infant was happy, healthy and developing well following a Hove home birth.

But she was found dead on her sleeping father as he cradled her.

The 25-day-old baby had been fed hours before by her mother, who then placed her on the father who was on the sofa.

Following the horrific discovery, the desperate father pleaded with a 999 operator after the baby’s mother ran into the street clutching her dead tot and searching in vain for help.

Paramedics battled to save the baby before taking her to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton, where her life support was switched off later the same day.

Brighton Coroner’s Court heard the baby was already dead.

Emergency services arrived at the house within six minutes of the desperate 999 call just before 8.30am on Saturday, June 30, last year.

Senior coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley said the death was a tragic event and very sad.

She said: “The cause of death is unascertained.

“There is no clear cause of death.”

The death had been difficult to investigate due to the awful trauma, the coroner said.

The infant, who The Argus has chosen not to name, was well grown for a 25-day-old.

She had no bruises or haemorrhage and all other physical examinations were normal, the court heard.

Her distraught father told police: “She was relaxing on me as normal.”

He told detectives he was on the sofa with his feet on the floor.

He nodded off and was woken by his wife.

She found the baby pale and unresponsive.

The court heard there was no history of sudden death in the family.

Confusion over the age of the baby had not been a factor in her death, the coroner said.

During the initial 999 call, the father gave the baby’s age as three months and not three weeks and she was given the corresponding dose of adrenaline.

A forensic post mortem could not rule out smothering or overlay.

DS Stephen Taylor of Sussex Police said: “They want to sleep on you because they want to feel safe and they feel safe on you.

“In many cultures it is believed to be the best method.”

The coroner said: “I am satisfied she was dead at home.

“Co-sleeping was a significant contributor.

“The thrust of the evidence is that we don’t know how this baby died and although it is likely there was a natural cause for her death none had been identified.”

The coroner recorded an open conclusion and

passed her condolences to the family.