- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 29/Jun 18:36

Grieving mother demands apology, compensation in death of premature baby

A grieving mother is demanding justice after her premature son was born alive at the San Fernando General Hospital but died two weeks later without receiving emergency care. In a pre-action protocol letter to Dr Brian Armour, the CEO of the South West Regional Health Authority, attorney Ted Roopnarine described what he called "inhumane treatment" and "gross negligence" during and after the birth of his client’s son on March 20, at the San Fernando General Hospital. The mother asked that her name be withheld to avoid reliving the trauma of the incident, which went viral on social media. The baby was born at 24 weeks and 4 days, a stage many global health bodies recognise as viable, yet the letter said he was wrongly classified as a miscarriage and denied life-saving treatment. The letter outlined a harrowing timeline, alleging that hospital staff ignored signs of labour, failed to provide care during delivery, and left the mother to give birth alone on a ward not equipped for childbirth. After the baby was born, breathing and crying, staff reportedly offered “end-of-life care” and asked if the infant should be “discarded or buried,” shocking the mother and her family. The baby was reportedly left without oxygen, warmth, or other basic care for more than two hours. “Our client and her relative pleaded with the staff to provide medical intervention. The baby was placed in a makeshift pocket on the mother’s chest.” According to the letter, a senior doctor later said the hospital’s policy was not to treat babies born before 26 weeks due to costs. Roopnarine also alleged postnatal neglect and emotional distress. He claimed staff blocked the family from praying, failed to explain care decisions, and publicly blamed the family after a private video of the birth was leaked online. The video, which showed the newborn alive and unaided, went viral and led to public ridicule instead of an apology, the letter said. “Our client firmly believes that the said video was leaked to social media without her consent by servants and/or agents of the SWRHA.” Roopnarine accused the authority of blaming the mother and her family rather than investigating the leak. He also said a media statement was “tone deaf” and failed to address the root problem. The family is now seeking a full public apology, compensation, access to counselling, and an independent investigation. They have also requested complete medical records and internal reports, warning that legal action will follow if there is no response in seven days. The post Grieving mother demands apology, compensation in death of premature baby appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.