Governor Mutua clears air on Machakos 'stolen baby'

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua. [File]

Investigations are underway following the alleged disappearance of a newborn baby at the Machakos Level 5 Hospital.

A pregnant 17-year-old Form 3 student arrived at the hospital in labour on April 24.

She was scheduled for an emergency Caesarean Section and delivered a boy.

A statement from Governor Alfred Mutua said the baby had severe birth asphyxia.

The mother was explained to that condition of the baby was not good and even shown the baby before it was taken to the Newborn Unit for specialised management.

Unfortunately the baby succumbed while undergoing management.

The girl's family says she demanded to be shown the baby’s corpse but the hospital’s management was dodgy.

Machakos County Director of Medical Services Joel Mwova said the matter is under investigation.

One of the relatives, on being denied the file, started shouting and alerted the media, alleging that the baby was missing.

The family was later shown the corpse as demanded.

"The family later met with the management and were given an account of what what happened," Mutua said.

The family spokesperson Johnson Ndiso confirmed that the family was satisfied with the way the hospital handled the matter.

A hospital team is currently reviewing the cause of the death.

Mutua added, "I have directed (and the patient has agreed) that DNA samples be taken to establish the baby is hers."