Mother in anguish as newborn ‘mysteriously disappears’ in hospital
Ms Merceline Akinyi, 18, during the interview at Ebubambula village in Matungu, Kakamega County, on November 26, 2018. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- When Chrispinus Barasa inquired from one of the medics, he was informed that his wife had a ‘stillbirth’.
- Ms Akinyi, who was discharged on November 21, claims the hospital is hiding something.
After carrying her pregnancy to term, Ms Merceline Akinyi was looking forward to having her second child.
She was taken to Matungu Sub-County hospital after developing labour pains, but her hopes have turned into nightmares eight days after giving birth at the facility.
Reason? Her newborn ‘mysteriously disappeared’. “I have never come to terms with the sad news,” Ms Akinyi said.
She developed labour pains on November 19 at around 8pm and was taken to the hospital by her husband, Mr Chrispinus Barasa.
Her husband left soon after she was admitted and returned home to take care of their two-and-half-year-old daughter.
MATERNITY WARD
“I woke up early the following morning and prepared breakfast for our daughter before heading to the hospital to check on my wife. I found her in the maternity ward and she told me she had delivered but could not show me the baby,” Mr Baraza said.
When he inquired from one of the medics, he was informed that his wife had a ‘stillbirth’.
“When we went back to the hospital for the body we were told it had disappeared,” Mr Baraza said.
Ms Akinyi, who was discharged on November 21, claims the hospital is hiding something.
BURY BABY
“All I want is my baby — alive or dead. If it died, I want the body returned to me so that I can bury my baby,” she said.
“Why did they not allow me to see the body?” Ms Akinyi posed.
Matungu sub-county hospital medical officer Jairus Amunga said Ms Akinyi had a ‘macerated stillbirth’. “She was admitted with complains of lower abdominal pains radiating to the back. On examination, footling breech was noticed,” Mr Amunga said.
A footling breech is when one or both of the baby’s feet are born first, instead of the pelvis.
STILLBORN
“The mother was shown the foetus but she declined. It was then wrapped in a paper and placed in a glove box,” Mr Amunga said. “Meanwhile, the two nurses on duty continued to attend to other patients. When the busy night was over, the macerated stillborn was found missing in the morning.”
Mumias police boss Peter Kattam said police have launched investigations into the matter.
