Luxury hotel forced to issue "humble apology" after denying terminally ill baby access to plug in breathing device

A three-month-old baby receiving end-of-life care was denied access to a power outlet for his breathing device at a luxury Scottish hotel.

Family's Desperate Situation

Baby Charlie, who breathes through a tracheostomy, was with his family at the upscale Duck Bay Hotel on Loch Lomond last Sunday when the shocking incident occurred.

The family had been trying to enjoy a brief respite from the heartbreaking reality of their child's terminal condition.

What should have been a moment of compassion quickly turned into a nightmare.

Charlie's uncle, Bradley Raynham, took to Facebook to share the disturbing encounter, hoping to prevent similar situations for other vulnerable families.

"It got to the time Charlie needed his nebuliser so as the restaurant was so busy, they asked at the reception of the hotel if they could use one of the plug sockets so he could get this. While they're holding him in their arms they were told 'no we don't do this here'."

Desperate Dash Back to Hospice

The family was forced to leave immediately and rush back to Robin House Children's Hospice in Balloch where Charlie is receiving end-of-life care.

The nebuliser device, which converts liquid medication into a breathable mist, is crucial for Charlie's comfort and care.

Even more disturbing, according to Raynham, when a hospice nurse attempted to call the hotel to speak with management, they were reportedly told that "other people will be waiting to call."

Social Media Backlash

The incident quickly sparked outrage across social media platforms.

TripAdvisor has temporarily suspended publishing new reviews for the Duck Bay Hotel as a result of the controversy.

A notice on the hotel's TripAdvisor page now reads: "Due to a recent event that has attracted media attention and has caused an influx of review submissions that do not describe a first-hand experience, we have temporarily suspended publishing new reviews for this listing."

The Hotel's Response

As public pressure mounted, the Duck Bay Hotel found itself scrambling to address the situation.

The hotel management finally broke their silence on Sunday with a statement posted to Facebook.

In their response, they attributed the incident to a "junior member of staff who has recently joined the company, acting without guidance, who entirely misunderstood and misjudged a situation."

They claimed this individual's actions were "in absolutely no way a reflection of the values of Duck Bay Marina or our hard working staff."

The Apology

Only after the story gained significant traction did the Duck Bay Hotel issue what they called a "humble apology" to Charlie's family.

"We are deeply upset at how this incident was handled and we are truly sorry for the upset it has caused," the statement read, signed by the directors, management and staff.

The hotel claimed they had been in contact with Robin House and Charlie's parents to offer a personal apology and had "made amends for the incident."

They also pleaded for understanding toward the staff member involved, describing them as "an inexperienced young person who has made a mistake" who is "absolutely devastated by what has happened."

A full investigation has been promised by the hotel, with "necessary remedial action" to follow.

For Charlie's family, however, the damage had already been done - forcing them to cut short a rare moment of normalcy during an unimaginably difficult time, all because a simple request to access electricity for a life-supporting medical device was denied.