A hospital porter has been suspended over allegations that a dead baby was left in a basement overnight, it has emerged.
The baby died at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton over the weekend.
The porter is said to have left a box, containing the body, in the basement instead of following proper procedure and taking the body to the mortuary.
New Cross Hospital confirmed that the porter had been involved in a similar incident in 2002. A second porter has also been suspended.
David Loughton, chief executive of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, said an investigation had been launched and expressed sympathy for the family’s loss and regret over the incident.
The unit was criticised last year when a Healthcare Commission report found problems with standards of care, working practices and staffing levels.
The report came after a string of serious incidents including the deaths of three babies.