SAMUT PRAKAN - A probe has been launched into the disappearance of the corpse of a newborn baby girl at a public hospital in this central province.
The mother, 15, said the body of her infant mysteriously disappeared from Samutprakarn Hospital on late Tuesday morning when she and her relatives went to the hospital to pick up the corpse for a funeral rite.
She gave birth to the baby girl at her house in Muang district on the night of Oct 5 after her six-month pregnancy. Her baby developed unusual health symptoms after her premature birth. She rushed to take her to Samutprakan Hospital but the infant died from heart failure on Oct 7.
The young mother said she had asked the hospital to keep the body while her family was in the process of notifying relevant agencies about the infant’s death so that they could take the corpse for a religious ceremony. After the death, she went to the hospital every day to see her baby. She last saw her on Monday evening.
After submitting all required documents, she went to the hospital on Tuesday to pick up the body for a funeral rite, but did not find it.
Sutthirat Rangklang, 32, on Tuesday accompanied his 15-year-old sister, mother of the dead infant, to file a complaint with police at Muang police station.
Relatives had asked hospital staff about the missing body, but received unclear explanations, he said. They later went to meet the hospital director.
Samutprakan Hospital director Samphan Khomrit on Tuesday admitted the body of the infant had disappeared from the hospital. After learning about the disappearance, he set up a fact-finding panel to investigate, Matichon Online reported.
The body mysteriously disappeared late Tuesday morning. Dr Samphan said the hospital had initially checked documents and found nobody came to pick up the corpse.
He apologised to the relatives of the infant for the emotionally traumatic incident.