Case of burning baby: no cause determined yet

Medical investigations are continuing to look into the case of the ‘burning baby’ who was admitted to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMC) on Saturday night.

A team at the hospital — comprising the heads of the paediatric, burns and plastic surgery and psychiatry departments, as well as the dean and the resident medical officer — is monitoring the 10-day-old infant and trying to determine the cause of the burns. However, so far, all tests on the baby boy have been within normal limits, and no cause has as yet been determined, hospital officials said, adding that further tests were being conducted.

The child, the second son of Rajeswari and Karna of T. Parangini in Villupuram district, reportedly “caught fire” on January 15. The couple’s first son, Rahul, had also been brought to the hospital in 2013 for the same reason; he had spontaneously burst into flames several times, his parents had said.

A step-by-step investigation is on, doctors said, adding that it was very difficult to determine the cause of the burns. The baby has suffered about 5 per cent burns on both his feet and is currently at the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital, where he will be monitored for a month. At present, the baby’s vital signs are stable and his injuries are healing, doctors said.

As with the case of the older brother, suspicions of child abuse persist. “I had treated the older brother when he came in, and all tests and investigations done came out normal. It seems like a case of child abuse,” said J. Jaganmohan, former head of the burns and plastic surgery department at KMC.

According to the baby’s father Karna, the couple underwent counselling on Monday. “It is difficult to see my child in this state,” he said, adding that he was also worried about his two other children, Narmadha and Rahul, who are currently staying with their grandmother. “As of now, we are staying in Chennai. I’m not sure when we will go back to our village,” he said.

So far, all tests have been within normal limits, say hospital officials

As with the case of the older brother, suspicions of child abuse persist