The parents of a newborn boy who died at a hospital in Ang Thong requested an investigation into his death, raising concerns about a feast held inside the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The couple sought assistance from the Paveena Foundation for Children and Women. They also requested a forensic examination of their son’s body, which was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police General Hospital for an autopsy.
According to the parents, their son was born prematurely on July 17 at eight months’ gestation. He was admitted to the NICU and placed in an incubator for close monitoring after birth.
The father said a doctor met him shortly after midnight on the day the baby was born and explained that the infant was breathing more rapidly than normal, which could lead to fatigue. The doctor recommended inserting a breathing tube, and the father signed a consent form for the procedure.
The couple said medical staff later informed them that their son’s condition had stabilised and they visited him on July 20 at about 1.30pm.
According to the parents, they found five dining tables set up inside the NICU, with doctors, nurses and other staff eating meals in the unit. They claimed one table was positioned only a short distance from their son’s incubator.
The couple said a nurse asked them to leave because staff were having a meal. They questioned whether dining inside the NICU was appropriate given the controlled environment required for newborn patients.
According to the parents, they raised their concerns with medical staff but were told the gathering would not affect the babies receiving treatment. They also alleged that catering staff entered the unit to serve food without wearing face masks or other protective equipment.
The following day, July 21, the hospital contacted the couple to inform them that their son’s condition had worsened overnight. When they arrived at the hospital at about 10am, doctors informed them that the newborn had died.
According to the parents, doctors said the infant may have developed a bloodstream infection, while the medical documentation listed pulmonary hypertension as the cause of death.
The couple also alleged that hospital staff released their son’s body for funeral arrangements and later contacted them to encourage them to proceed with the cremation.
Although they held funeral rites, the parents postponed the cremation because they wanted an independent investigation into the cause of death and whether the gathering in the NICU had any connection to the incident.
According to the family, the preliminary forensic examination identified a fracture to the baby’s right ankle and an injury to the left front of the skull. However, the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Forensic specialists collected blood, tissue and liver samples for further examination. The final results are expected within about two weeks.
At the time of publication, the hospital had not issued a public statement responding to the family’s allegations.
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