Battered baby girl fighting for her life at AIIMS

Last week 2-year-old girl was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in critical condition. She had multiple injuries, a fractured skull, a clot in her brain, human bite marks were seen on over all her body. A teenaged girl brought the baby to the hospital and she claimed that she is her mother. Today also, baby’s condition is not well and police is trying to hunt her real parents.

Teenaged girl has been sent to juvenile home and police have not ruled out sexual abuse of her.

Several teams have been formed by the police to hunt the baby’s parents and they are also looking for those people who handed over the baby to the teenaged girl.

A new twist was seen in the case because a woman came to the hospital and she claimed that she is baby’s mausi or maternal aunt.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) condemned the shocking incident and it ordered a detailed inquiry about the case. Police have to ask to submit their factual report in 15 days.

Doctors treating the baby said that now only 40 percent chance of the recovery is expected and she may not recover soon because of the mental and physical trauma she has faced.

A doctor at AIIMS told reports, “We have been able to remove her from the ventilator, but she (baby) is in a transition from a ventilator to normal breathing. Till now, she’s unconscious which means she’s not able to follow commands.”

Doctor’s tone hinted that chanced of baby’s survival is less.

Forensic experts who were examining the wounds on baby ‘s body reported about some movement.

“A woman came claiming to be her ‘mausi’ (mother’s sister) and said the baby was kidnapped,” Deepak Agrwal, assistant professor, neurosurgery, told reporters.

“The baby is severely injured, and has suffered critical head injuries. Her future is uncertain,” a doctor said.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit offered her full support to the baby, she told reporters, “The Delhi government will support whatever her needs are, we will fulfil her needs. We are waiting for the medical report, let it come.”

Explaining the baby’s chances of recovery, Agarwal said: “Statistics show in cases of head injury, 30 percent patients die in hospital, 30 percent remain in a vegetative state for the rest of their life and only 20-30 percent are fine enough to take care of their basic needs, but in that case too they are impaired mentally.”

Politicians and women activists condemned the incident.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat said, “The tragic thing is that such cases are not rare and occur very often in our country. Child sexual abuse is all the worse because we have no social infrastructure to support a child in distress.”

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain said: “It (incident) is inhumane and stringent action should be taken against the culprits…”