THE death of a baby in his carry-cot overnight remained a mystery after an inquest in Dorchester failed to find out why he died.

West Dorset Coroner Michael Johnston heard how two-month-old Thomas John Ellis Neil Jackson was found with breathing problems by his mother Jenny Young in Bridport.

His death came the day after he was "deemed fine" at a childcare review and health-check.

Mr Johnston recorded an open verdict after Dr Paul Bass, paediatric pathologist for Southampton University Hospitals Trust, could not find the cause of death.

The inquest heard how Miss Young was undergoing an assessment on her ability to care for her son while staying with social worker Bernard Candy and his wife in Asker Gardens, Bridport.

Mr Johnston said: "Dr Bass cannot establish a cause of death and it must go down as unascertained. The little boy was found in his Moses basket. There was no evidence of any injury or anything out of the ordinary. There is still no scientific reason why this baby should have died."

The inquest heard how Miss Young - who also suffered depression - came to Bridport with her son on an interim care order from Southampton when he was just 10 days old in March this year.

Social worker Mr Candy and his wife were to assess how well Miss Young, who is in her 30s, looked after her baby away from the "detrimental impact" of her violent partner.

He claimed that she was told she had to end the relationship with her partner, the boy's father, at the child care review on May 10 - the day before the baby died.

Mr Candy, who has 20 years' experience, said Miss Young kicked open his bedroom door at night after finding that "something was wrong" with her son.

He said: "She came in and was screaming.

"She was holding him and it was fairly obvious what had happened. I put him on the bed and started mouth to mouth resuscitation."

The baby - Miss Young's first - was pronounced dead at the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.

Dr Bass could find no congenital defects, traumas, injuries, diseases or natural conditions to explain the baby's death.

He said that it was "not uncommon" for there not to be any present knowledge to explain such deaths.