'Dead' baby found alive before burial

A newborn, which was reportedly declared dead by medical authorities here, was later found to be alive just before burial.

The incident took place at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, when a resident of the city's Badarpur area delivered a 22-week-old premature baby, weighing 460 grams.

Rohit, the child's father, said, the doctor and the nursing staff had declared the baby dead, sealed the body in a packet, labelled it and gave it to them.

Right before the funeral, Rohit's sister saw some movement in the packet, the family then realised the baby was alive.

A PCR call was made and the baby was rushed to Apollo Hospital, from where it was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital.

Shocked by the incident, the parents approached the police, and said, "How can they (medical staff)be so irresponsible and declare a baby dead before checking? If we had not opened the sealed pack on time, my baby would have really died and the truth would have been hidden from us. This is sheer negligence and the guilty should be punished."

Safdarjung Hospital authorities have ordered an enquiry into the matter.