GWYNEDD woman who lost her baby daughter has slammed soap producers for a controversial cot death storyline.
Llinos Eames Jones, of Bontnewydd, and chair of Gwynedd SANDS still birth and neonatal death charity, said that the EastEnders baby switch plot had caused her and other parents great distress.
She said: “We have been made out to be unstable, people will be afraid to leave their babies near us or in our care in case we steal them.
“A grieving mother longs for her own baby, not someone else’s.”
In the storyline, Ronnie Mitchell switches her dead child with Alfie and Kat Moon’s son.
Llinos, who lost her daughter Mari Lois at 25 weeks in 2000, said the story was heartbreaking to her and other mothers who had lost children.
Llinos, who has three grown-up children, Carwyn, Sion and Lowri, added: “We don’t need reminding what a little white coffin looks like. We know all too well.”
Mrs Jones said the EastEnders’ producers had made a number of mistakes, which included the police leaving a Moses basket at the scene after Kat’s baby was pronounced dead, when in reality it would have been taken for investigation straight away.
She added: “The producer, scriptwriters and researchers have made an awful mess of the story. They haven’t done their research properly.”
The baby switch plot has drawn more than 3,500 complaints since it started late last year.
However, EastEnders executive producer Bryan Kirkwood said that the storyline had drawn positive comments, as well as complaints, from viewers.
He added: “EastEnders never sets out to upset its audience. Not only would it be counter-productive, it would be a breach of a long-established trust that we can deliver truthful stories that inspire debate in a way that’s acceptable to a family audience.
Mr Kirkwood said that the storyline would end in the spring.
He added: “As the story progresses and Kat is reunited with her baby, we hope to explore the impact of the tragic events that have befallen the characters in a way that is powerful, but true to the best public service tradition of the show.”