The autopsy results concluded that two babies who died shortly after birth at the Ramón Carrillo Maternal Neonatal Hospital, in the city of Córdoba, lost their lives as a result of “excess potassium” what was it “intentionally injected” reported sources linked to the cause that investigates at the moment five deaths, for which there is a nurse detained and charged.
As recorded, the autopsy report details that “Toxic substances incompatible with life were detected”.
The forensic data corresponds to two of the bodies of deceased babies, of the total of five cases investigated by prosecutor Raúl Garzón.
This Monday Garzón received the plaintiff attorneys and legal representatives of the employees of the provincial public health center, where the deaths occurred.
The judicial official informed the lawyers about aspects of the investigative task, and about the procedural steps that he carries out to determine if, in addition to the detained and charged nurse, there are others responsible for the alleged malpractice or intentionality of the results of the autopsies. .
Although the judicial investigation, promoted by the provincial Ministry of Health, initially covered only five cases of babies born healthy who died within a few hours, when the fact became public, some twenty testimonies were added that reported that they went through the same experience, and that in some cases they survived but were left with consequences.
The nurse Brenda Agüero (27) is the only detainee after being accused as the alleged perpetrator of the crime of “repeated qualified homicide by insidious procedure” and was housed in the local Bouwer prison.
Prosecutor Garzón had stated that “The nurse is detained for two facts, which are the ones that to date have been able to advance in the complementary studies of the autopsies of two of the deceased children.”
The prosecutor’s measure arose from a pattern that was repeated on deceased babies, a fourth puncture that corresponded to potassium and that Agüero would have applied.
The usual punctures with which newborns are inoculated are three: in the case of vaccines, hepatitis B and BCG are placed, and in medication, vitamin K.
“Obviously it is a preliminary instance, it is necessary to complement the other facts,” Garzón had stated after the nurse’s arrest and specified that, although the initial investigation was carried out on five dead babies, in total there are 13 cases that are studied among the deceased and others who suffered serious consequences and survived.
He also charged three former directors of the Neonatal – among them the former director, Liliana Asís – who are accused of mediate responsibilities, linked to their function, such as the omission of duties as a public official.
On the other hand, it decided to appoint Eduardo Caeiro as the legal representative of the deceased babies and those who survived.
Around noon on Monday, the community of health workers of the Maternal Neonatal Hospital held a “solidarity hug” around that hospital to ask for “justice for the deceased babies and their families” and “also for solidarity and justice” for those who work every day and have nothing to do with what is being investigated.
The initiative for the demonstration came from the Nursing Association of Córdoba, an entity that posted on social networks that the Neonatal Maternal Hospital “will continue to demonstrate, as it has done over these 23 years, that this has had nothing to do with the spirit of solidarity, dedication, professionalism and expertise” of all those who make up the care center.
The case continues with summary secrecy.
The judicial investigation became public on August 11 after complaints about the death of five babies born healthy in the Ramón Carrillo Maternal Neonatal Center in the city of Córdoba, between March and June.
According to official data, the deaths of the babies occurred on March 18, April 23, May 23 and two (deaths) on June 6 this year.
