Paediatrician did not recognize stab wounds – child’s life in danger

A man repeatedly stabbed his 18 months old daughter in Lajosmizse, Hungary, reported borsonline.hu. The grandmother lied about the wounds to the paramedics and then to the paediatrician. An emergency surgery later that day saved the child’s life.

The 31-year-old József T. has been taking drugs for four days and was under the effect of hallucinogens when he grabbed a butcher knife and stabbed his 18 months old daughter at least four times. After this he also stabbed himself, and an ambulance arriving at the scene took him to the hospital. Meanwhile, the child’s grandmother denied that anything had happened to the little girl, so the child stayed at home, badly injured and bleeding.

Read here about the effects of drug and alcohol.

From paramedics to paediatrician to surgery

Later, after the paramedics left, the grandmother took the child to her paediatrician and said that the girl fell and cut herself with some glass. The doctor did a physical examination but did not realise that the child had been stabbed. He declared that the wounds were superficial; he disinfected and bandaged the wounds and sent them home.

In the evening, the girl was vomiting blood and paramedics took her to the hospital. Because of her life-threatening injuries, they immediately took her into surgery. The doctors in Szeged saved the child’s life.

It turned out that the physical examination that the paediatrician performed was not in accordance with the professional standards. The documentation was not thorough. Furthermore, he did not check to see if the wounds were deeper, so he did not found out that the child’s life was in danger.

The father denied knowingly taking drugs. He says someone must have put hallucinogens in his drink.

His mom testified against him, admitted that he has been having drug problems. According to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, every tenth adult and every fifth school-age child or young person has used drugs before.

The little girl has been taken from the family, she is now living with foster parents in Szeged. Her father has been convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison. The grandmother and paediatrician are facing trial this week.

Source: borsonline.hu