Baby suffocated on armchair

A Wiltshire soldier woke to find his six week old baby lying dead in an armchair, an inquest has heard.

The baby, Niklas Emberton, suffocated when he rolled over on the armchair as his father Matthew slept on the sofa in March 2003.

Mr Emberton, from Warminster, was woken by his three-year-old son who had climbed out of a window and was trying to start the family car, the inquest was told.

It was then he noticed that Niklas was unusually quiet and had turned blue.

Accidental death

Mr Emberton, a corporal in the army, dialled 999 and took Niklas to Warminster's military hospital.

Despite attempts to revive him, the baby was later pronounced dead at Salisbury District Hospital.

A post mortem examination revealed Niklas had died of acute asphyxia.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.