The parents of a newborn baby girl, believed to have died after ingesting cocaine through breast milk, have received suspended jail sentences.

Darcey Maunder was found unresponsive on a bed in a Newquay, Cornwall hotel on November 11. Her parents, Andrew Maunder and Rochelle Thomas, had been using cocaine, which the court heard put their 9-day-old daughter at risk of "unnecessary suffering."

In Truro Crown Court, a judge handed both parents a suspended 30-month jail sentence after they admitted a charge of child cruelty. The sentence is suspended for three years and includes 12 months of probation, with Thomas also required to undergo drug rehabilitation.

Darcey was born on November 2, 2023. Her mother's mother traveled to Cornwall to support the couple, and the family stayed in a hotel starting November 8. Three days later, Thomas's mother heard screaming from their room and found Darcey unresponsive. Police and paramedics were called but could not revive the infant.

Andrew Maunder admitted to using cocaine in the hotel room where drug paraphernalia, including tubes, scales, and a bag containing the substance, were found. Analysis of Rochelle Thomas's hair strands indicated cocaine use, including during her pregnancy. Prosecutor Joss Ticehurst stated that it was not possible to definitively determine if cocaine ingestion or overlaying in bed was the cause of death, but that Darcey may have ingested the Class A drug through breastfeeding, or via contaminated fingers or objects in the room.

Thomas stated she had used cocaine two days after Darcey's birth and also while eight months pregnant. Maunder admitted to using cocaine in the hotel bathroom.

Defending Maunder, Victoria Bastock described the circumstances as tragic and deeply felt by the parents, who she said "very much loved their daughter."

Judge Simon Carr acknowledged the emotional nature of the case. He emphasized that the defendants were not responsible for Darcey's death, as the cause could not be conclusively proven by the prosecution. However, he added that it was "most likely she ingested the cocaine through breast feeding." The judge noted Thomas's history of PTSD and depression, for which she used cocaine as a coping mechanism, and Maunder's issues with alcohol, drugs, and mental health, stating he showed "genuine remorse."

"Nothing I say will bring Darcey back," the judge stated, adding that immediate custody would be futile. He took an "exceptional view" due to the incident occurring three years prior to the sentencing.