Dead babies…Health Minister says no more prolonged investigations

May 26, 2015 News

Dr. George Norton has said that pending medical death cases will be picked up as soon as he is settled into his newly appointed position as Minister of Public Health.

Natalie Caseley on one of her protests for her son’s Justice.

Dr. Norton said that with regard to him picking up the Jaden Mars case, as he had indicated in one of APNU+AFC press conferences before elections, he will try to reach a compromise with the child’s mother, Natalie Caseley, and her lawyer(s).
He explained that the case had taken a legal turn after the mother took her own actions by filing for a court hearing against the GPHC.
“I’m disappointed in the manner in which the matter was dealt with. The investigations took too long and the mother was being faced with an injustice because she wasn’t getting answers about her son’s case”.
Norton said that he understands her plight as a mother, but that he is hoping to be able to make a monetary compensation to the woman instead of going through with the court hearing.
He noted, “We are not hiding negligence. But rather, we are more interested in finding out how the incident occurred and to make sure it does not happen again.”
The Minister has also signaled interest in the Kevon Critchlow’s case. He said, “It is a very interesting case. After having talks with the pathologist who performed the post mortem and a paediatrician, the location of the haemorrhage has become an interest. The pathologist has suggested further studies overseas.” The post mortem had stated that the child died of brain haemorrhage.
In relation to other cases including that of Teresa Lalltoo and even possible future occurrences, he said that as Health Minister his intentions are to “try to get the investigations over soon and to make findings known to the public and to the relatives.”
Mars died December 2013. He was admitted to the GPHC with a cut to his tongue and was given an overdose of anesthetic.
Little Critchlow died less than a day after visiting the Plaisance Health sector where he was given an injection. The family is maintaining that the child was given a wrong injection, despite the post mortem has indicated that he died of brain hemorrhage.
Teresa Lalltoo, delivered a dead baby girl on April 19, last, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). She was transferred to that institution from the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) after suffering some labour complications.