http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161485703
June 3, 2009
A two-month-old baby girl died in her mother's arms yesterday morning, hours after having her first vaccination but an autopsy has revealed that she was smothered, police said.
Baby Cindy Apithy was bleeding from the nose and mouth when she died.
Her parents insisted yesterday that the child's death was caused by the vaccine, although the autopsy stated that she was smothered.
Police believe baby Cindy was accidentally crushed on the bed she shared with her mother and two-year-old sister.
Natalie James said: "I know what happened to my baby. I woke up several times to take care of the baby because she was crying. They trying to cover it up."
James said she woke to check on her baby around 2 a.m. when she noticed blood oozing from the child's nose and mouth. "I took her for a check up at the health centre, but I did not know they were going to give her a shot. I told the doctor that my older child had her first shot at three months, but they insisted. I never had a problem with my older daughter," she said.
James said her baby developed a fever soon after.
"I gave her the medicine the doctors prescribed but she was only crying and crying, I did not know what to do because she was getting stiff," she cried.
James, who lives at Lamont Street Ext, Longdenville, said when her baby began bleeding, she wrapped her in a blanket and ran through the streets begging for help. "I began screaming for someone to take me to the hospital because we had no transport. I went to a bar and a woman carried me to the health centre," she said.
By the time she arrived at the Chaguanas Health Centre, the baby was already dead, James said.
"I am blaming the doctors for this because my child was good. I feel the injection was too strong. I am going to file a complaint after the autopsy," she said.
Paediatrician Dr Beni Balkaran said the baby's death may not have been caused by the vaccine. Balkaran said: "Bleeding through the mouth and nose is not an adverse effect of the vaccine. The only way a baby would die from a vaccine would be if he suffers an allergic reaction and even that would not cause bleeding."
The child's 38-year-old father, Abenigo Apithy, an electrical technician, intends to seek legal advice, James said. "He is really distraught over our baby's death. We do not live together because of his work but he works really hard to care for his children," she said.