A four-month-old baby, Varshini, died at the government-run Sishu Gruha at Mahilipatnam reportedly due to ill health. Collector B. Lakshmikantham has ordered an inquiry into the death.
According to sources, the girl was born at Puligadda village in Krishna district in October last year, and her mother died after a few days reportedly due to chronic health problems after the delivery.
The family members allegedly sold away the baby for ₹2 lakh to a couple in Vijayawada. On knowing about the illegal adoption, officials of Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) department swung into action and rescued the baby.
Unable to take care of the “premature” baby, her father reportedly gave relinquishment to the WD&CW department.
The WD&CW staff produced the baby before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which referred her to Machilipatnam Sishu Gruha, run by the government, in November 2018.
The baby was born premature and weighed only 1 kg at the time of birth. The CWC, instead of referring the baby to Buddavaram Sishu Gruha (located near Vijayawada), directed shifting of the baby to Machilipatnam home, the staff said.
Collector B. Lakshmikantham ordered an inquiry by a three-member committee into the death of Varshini, to find out alleged negligence, if any, on part of the staff of the home in the incident.
Joint Collector-II P. Babu Rao, District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Ramesh and WD&CW Krishna district Project Director K. Krishna Kumari have been told to conduct an inquiry and submit a report.
Meanwhile, the WD&CW officials lodged a complaint with the police over the death of the inmate of the Sishu Gruha.
Employees of Sishu Gruha said the baby vomited after taking milk on Sunday and became unconscious. She was rushed to Government Hospital, where she was declared dead.
“The committee visited Sishu Gruha on Monday and recorded the statements of home manager, ANM, ayah and other staff. We are waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of the death,” an official said.
