‘Were about to bury our newborn when she moved,’ says father

Recounting the events of February 10, he said his wife had noticed movements right after their child was born around 6.30 pm. “But within a few minutes, doctors declared her dead. They gave us the baby in an empty surgical glove box and we brought her home by 7.45 pm. By 8.30 pm, we had gone to bury her when we found life in her. Immediately, we brought her to Lok Nayak where staff and the security guards made fun of us, asking how can a dead child be alive,” he alleged.

He alleged doctors did not admit her initially and she was kept in the nursery. “Doctors said she needs a ventilator but none was available; they asked us to take her elsewhere. They wrote us a referral paper, where it was written that the child can be taken either to AIIMS, Safdarjung or RML,” he said.

A purported copy of the referral note does not have the doctor’s stamp. Abdul explained: “We could not get a stamp as we were busy requesting staff and doctors to admit the baby at Lok Nayak. It was only after we called the local municipal councillor and police that they considered our case. We have been told that the child is on a CPAP machine. Doctors have also assured us that she will be put on a ventilator.”

He alleged his wife was being pressured to say the child was stillborn: “When I met her in the ward today, she told me the doctor and staff are asking her to tell the media that the child was born dead.”

The hospital has said it has instituted an enquiry to look into the claims. According to official sources, a team from the Delhi Commission of Women also visited the hospital on Tuesday evening.

On Monday, the hospital’s medical director Dr Suresh Kumar had said a committee was formed to look into why the baby was packed in an empty glove box. He also said immediate care was given to the child.