5-day-old baby badly burnt in hospital

4.MAY.07

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ­ A baby just five hours old received severe burns from a hot water bottle in a hospital incubator.{{more}}

On Tuesday night little Justin Paul was at the Intensive Care Unit of the Mt Hope Maternity Hospital with second degree burns to his left shoulder, arm and hand.

He and twin brother James were born prematurely at the hospital on April 17 to parents Nicola Carter and Jerome Paul. They weighed about four pounds each.

But hours after the successful delivery, the parents were told by a doctor that Justin received severe burns on his left arm.

“One of the doctors told us a water bottle to keep the baby warm was wrapped in a blanket and kept close to Justin but it was too hot,” Paul told the Express yesterday.

Health Minister John Rahael promised yesterday to launch an investigation. (Trinidad Express)