Shalom Hospital medics charged with manslaughter, handling poisonous medicine

Shalom Hospital medics charged with handling poisonous medicine

Mumbi Mutuko

May 9, 2019 4:38 PM

Shalom Hospital medics charged with serious offenses

Shalom Hospital medics charged

Three staff members of Shalom Hospital in Machakos were arraigned in court on Thursday after the death of a seven-month at the facility.

Vincent Njau Nganga, Irene Katete Mutinda and Odhiambo Kennedy were charged with manslaughter, recklessness and handling poisonous medicine without the laid out procedures.

The three were also charged with the sale of part one poison drug (morphine) without following laid down procedures.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Irene Kahuya and released on Ksh500,000 bond and surety of a similar amount.

Shalom Hospital Staff Charged over Death of 7-Month-Old Baby Ethan Pulse Live Kenya

Death of Baby Ethan

Baby Ethan Muendo died after he was injected with a dose of morphine that was 20 times stronger than what his body could handle.

Results from an autopsy conducted at the Montezuma Funeral Home revealed that baby Ethan had a swollen brain which led to the baby developing breathing complications.

Pathologist Daniel Zuriel who undertook the procedure stated that the brain controls the breathing hence a complication to it impedes the biological process.

Shalom Hospital Staff Charged over Death of Baby Ethan Pulse Live Kenya

Zuriel noted that extra tests would be done to other specimens collected from the dead child and analyzed at the Government Chemists.

Reports had indicated that the family may be forced to bury the child without the brain as investigations would take approximately six months to conclude.

Following the incident and concerns raised by Athi River residents, the facility was shut down after an order from Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua.

Mumbi Mutuko