Terminally Ill Baby Denied Help by Luxury Hotel Staff at Duck Bay Marina
A heartbreaking incident at a luxury hotel in Scotland has sparked outrage after a terminally ill baby was denied the use of a plug socket for his life-saving nebulizer. Baby Charlie, who is staying at Robin House Children’s Hospice in Balloch, was visiting Duck Bay Hotel with his parents over the weekend when they were refused permission to power the medical device. According to Daily Record, His family, who have since shared his photo with Edinburgh Live, had been enjoying some time together by the scenic banks of Loch Lomond, spending £40 on coffee and cakes, before the distressing encounter.
Charlie’s uncle, Bradley Raynham, took to social media to blast the hotel, calling it an “embarrassment of a place,” and his post quickly went viral. In his emotional message, he explained how his three-month-old nephew, who breathes through a tracheostomy, needs regular nebulizer treatments to help clear his airways.
Describing the ordeal, Bradley said: “My sister and fiancé are currently residing at Robin House Children’s Hospice as my nephew is receiving end-of-life care. Every minute with him is a blessing. They went to this place trying to make his days special, reported the Mirror.
“It got to the time Charlie needed his nebulizer, so as the restaurant was so busy, they asked at reception if they could use a plug socket. While holding him in their arms, they were told, ‘No, we don’t do this here.’ Even after explaining the situation, they weren’t interested one bit. They had to rush back to the hospice immediately so they could give him the nebulizer.”
Furious at how the situation was handled, he added: “How in this day and age can ANY place turn someone away for something like this? Especially after they had spent money there. I hope the place rots, and none of the staff ever have to experience this with their own child.”
Following the backlash, Duck Bay Hotel issued a public apology, admitting that staff were “devastated” by what had happened. A spokesperson for the hotel said: “Duck Bay Marina has recently been made aware of an incident which occurred earlier today and would like to profusely apologize for what happened.
“The incident involved a junior member of staff, acting without guidance, who entirely misunderstood and misjudged the situation. We are deeply upset at how this was handled and are truly sorry for the distress it caused. It is in no way a reflection of our values or our hardworking staff, many of whom are devastated by this.”
The hotel has since reached out to Charlie’s family and Robin House to offer a personal apology, promising to investigate the situation and take corrective action. “As long-time supporters of local charities, we will make amends and review our training procedures to ensure this never happens again,” the statement continued.
While some have called for a boycott of the hotel, the business urged people to remember that the situation involved an inexperienced young staff member who is now “absolutely devastated” by their mistake. However, the apology has done little to quiet the public outrage, with many calling for stricter policies to prevent such incidents in the future.