A BABY, at the centre of an ambulance service probe into a slow response time, has sadly died.

The tot, from Chelmsford, passed away at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, having been transferred from Broomfield Hospital.

The baby had fallen ill on Monday, June 9.

Two police officers were first on the scene following a 999 call and one gave first aid to the baby, who had stopped breathing, before taking the decision to drive the tot to hospital.

The baby was later transferred to Great Ormond Street in a lifethreatening condition before passing away last Thursday.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

However, a probe has been launched as an ambulance took 13 minutes to get to the scene – the service’s target time is eight minutes.

An ambulance service spokesman said: “An ambulance was immediately dispatched, but the police officers were first on scene. An investigation has been launched into the whole process.”

Information has yet to be released about the baby’s gender and age.