Police are investigating a case where a newborn baby was allegedly taken from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in Suva without the mother’s consent.
Police are investigating a case where a newborn baby was allegedly taken from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in Suva without the mother’s consent.
This was made known yesterday after Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime (ACP/C) Sakeo Raikaci clarified information circulating on social media alleging police officers had sought to traditionally reconcile this report.
ACP Raikaci said a report of the incident was initially received at the Totogo Police Station where officers were deployed.
He said initial information gathered was that the mother had left her baby with a medical official and a person known to the family, who was visiting, to take care of some personal matters nearby.
When she returned, she found her baby and the visitor missing, and assumed that her child was taken by the medical official for a check-up.
After a while, she asked around for her baby and discovered that her child was no longer on hospital premises.
ACP Raikaci said she (mother) suspected the family friend took her child. Officers were deployed to the suspect’s home where they found her baby.
He stressed that there was no attempt by officers to reconcile the matter as they were following the family’s request, which, at that time, did not want to pursue the matter considering the woman’s health status and the traumatic experience she had just gone through.
When approached for a comment, the Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong said it was now a Police case and confidential issues were involved.
Dr Fong said the medical team on the ground were part of the immediate response with police when the incident occurred.
He added that he would get a preliminary finding from his team today.
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