Parents in custody for death of 4-day old baby girl

Police have arrested a Grove, East Bank Demerara couple in connection with the death of their four-day baby girl, who was pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam Hospital, on Monday morning.

The News Room understands that the 27-year-old housewife gave birth to the baby girl at a city hospital on November 5 and was discharged two days later. On November 9, the mother, her 52-year-old husband and their 8-year-old daughter, travelled to Georgetown for the mother’s scheduled doctor’s check-up.

The young mother alleged that at around 10:00h, she left the infant in the car with her husband and daughter while she went to see her doctor, but when she returned to the car around midday, she observed that the baby was crying repeatedly and breathing heavily.

The mother further alleged that she noticed the baby’s dress was off and she was wearing her pampers and underpants only. At that point, she said she fed the baby, who then fell asleep.

On the same day, the family travelled to a village on the West Bank of Berbice, where the husband dropped off the mother to stay with relatives so she can recover from the birth. It is alleged by the mother that the newborn was still crying and appeared as if she was suffocating.

As a result, at about 18:05h, the baby girl was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where she was seen and examined by a doctor who pronounced her dead on arrival.

The News Room understands that the body was photographed by a crime scene technician; a post mortem examination is expected to be conducted shortly.