An autopsy report released on Tuesday by Government pathologist Dr. Waithera Njenga and Kenyatta Hospital pathologist Dr. Daniel Zuria, revealed that baby Ethan Muendo died of medical poisoning.
The seven-month-old baby, whose father, Jonathan Musau, is a KBC TV correspondent in Machakos, was injected by a nurse at the facility and died moments later.
According to the infant's mother, Juliana Mutheu, the child had encountered minor burns from the dispenser water on Saturday night but she decided to take him to the hospital on Sunday morning. The father claimed that the baby was injected with morphine.
The two pathologists offered a unanimous report sighting evidence of reduced oxygen circulation in the baby.
“The brain appears swollen but the rest of the organs are well. The primary finding is that there was respiratory depression due to swelling of the brain as a result of the intoxication,” they affirmed.
The autopsy was carried out at Montezuma Funeral Home in Machakos.
In the report, they also stated that there was a medical intervention prior to the minor’s death barely two hours after the alleged lethal injection.
The Government Chemist also extracted samples of the brain, liver and body fluids for toxicology analysis so as to establish the chemicals present and their ratio.
Prior to the post mortem, police from Machakos Police Station had arrested two nurses, a male and a female, after the baby’s parents recorded statements about the incident.
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua also ordered the closure of the facility.
Shalom Hospital isn’t new to controversy after a video emerged online, in the recent past, of a woman giving birth at the reception in Athi River, as nurses who were on a tea break watched.
