Dispute over Machakos baby to be resolved through DNA
Two mothers at Machakos level 5 hospital who are laying claim to one baby will have to wait for DNA tests to ascertain the maternity of the baby.
One of the mothers claim she gave birth to the baby on Wednesday night through Cesarean section delivery at 3 am.
She says she was given the baby to breastfeed before it was taken to the nursery.
According to the woman’s husband Mr Bernard Mutiso she took photos with the baby and some nurses at the nursery.
Later she was called to the nursery and informed that her baby had died.
Another mother was given the same baby to breastfeed at 4 am, according to Mr Mutiso.
DEAD CHILD
“My wife was operated and the child was taken to the nursery. She breastfeed the baby and took a photograph with it. Later the doctor called us to the nursery and my wife was shown a dead child which she said wasn’t her baby,” said Mr Mutiso.
Mr Mutiso said he reported the matter to the police and also talked to the Medical Officer of Health (MOH).
On Thursday the County Executive Member in charge of Health Ms Naomi Mutie confirmed there was a dispute over the maternity of the baby and also on the body of the other dead baby.
Ms Mutie said they will take samples of the baby and the parents in order to ascertain maternity. The DNA tests will take one month to be released.
A postmortem on the dead baby will also be conducted to establish the cause of the death, said Ms Mutie.
Meanwhile, the baby in the centre of the dispute will be kept at the hospital as the tests are being conducted. It was not clear who between the two mothers would be allowed to breastfeed the baby.