Grenada: 7-Month-Old Baby dies in hospital, parents allege staff's neglect

Grenada: The grieving parents of a seven-month-old baby who was pronounced dead earlier this month at the General Hospital in Grenada are devastated and outraged. They are blaming their child’s death on what they believe was total negligence by the hospital staff.

While initially, their child was diagnosed with eczema, the parents say that a lot of cases are coming up related to infant fatalities, and most of them are due to the hospital’s negligence.

While talking to local reporters, the parents reported that the hospital staff did not treat their daughter properly and behaved in a manner as if the child’s life was worthless to them.

The infant’s father, Kevon Thomas, said that he felt that the doctors and nurses acted as if they were doing a favor, which eventually forced him to practically beg for any information about his daughter’s condition.

Meanwhile, the mother of the child, Asha St. Bernard, recalled that when they arrived at the hospital on August 17, her daughter, despite having some rashes, seemed in good health and was moving around like a normal child.

However, within two days, her condition became worse, and no one provided them with any information regarding what was happening.

The couple continued to say that their challenges began right from the start, with the mother explaining that she had no idea glass bottles were not allowed at the hospital, so she brought breakable feeding bottles with her. She was then told that she could not leave those with the baby.

Despite assuring the nurses that she would replace them the next day, she was told she could not stay at the hospital with the child, which was not usual.

Asha further claimed that when she arrived at the hospital the next day, she was shocked to see the condition of her daughter as she seemed very weak as if she was on the brink of death and she could barely open her eyes.

Not only this, but when she asked the staff what was happening, she said she was told the baby would be okay soon.

The couple said that on Sunday, they were informed that their baby urgently needed a blood transfusion but, despite the urgency, the procedure was not performed until Tuesday, by which time the infant appeared to be already lifeless.

The father added that shortly after the transfusion, the baby reacted strangely, but the doctors were unable to tell what was happening with her. The child was then pronounced dead shortly after that. 

The couple also said that they are waiting for autopsy results to arrive before they decide how to process with the case legally.