Zoraida Bacchus is seeking answers from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) following the loss of her baby at the facility.
Bacchus, who was preparing to deliver for the first time, was advised by medical workers that she needed to do a cesarean section, as previous clinic visits had indicated that the baby was large and a surgical delivery would be necessary.
Bacchus, who is in her mid-twenties, was informed to arrive at the hospital on April 28 to be prepped for the C-section.
Zoraida Bacchus, the mother whose baby died after she gave birth at GPHC
However, upon her arrival that same day, doctors changed the plan and informed her that she would no longer be undergoing surgery and instead, they would have her undergo labour for a natural birth on April 29.
It is alleged that the mother was given three tablets and later placed on saline drips, after which labour pains began.
She was then taken to the labour ward. Simone recounted that due to the baby’s large size, the infant became stuck in the birth canal.
In response to this, one nurse applied pressure to the mother’s belly while another was trying to pull out the baby.
During this process, the mother heard a sound she described as a “pax”.
Meanwhile the baby did not cry upon coming out of the womb however the mother claimed she heard a mellow groaning from the infant. She said that doctors informed her that the baby had lost oxygen during delivery.
Medical staff placed the baby on oxygen with an oxygenated mask and reassured the mother that in a few hours, the mask could be removed and she would be able to breastfeed.
However, while she was resting, the mother received a call informing from the doctor informing her that her baby had passed away.
She was later transferred to another ward on a lower level and, to her surprise, discovered the baby’s body placed in a box outside the hospital yard near a post.
Following her request for the body to be moved, the baby was subsequently placed on a chair inside the hospital.
She was told that the baby would need to be taken to the mortuary and to return the next day for the postmortem examination.
The autopsy revealed that the baby had a hole in his heart and internal bleeding in the intestines.
Samples were collected for further testing, and the mother was told that she would not receive a death certificate until the full cause of death was determined, which could take up to three weeks.
The mother also raised concerns about the baby’s broken arm sound that she heard whilst giving birth.
It was only then that the pathologists explained that such injuries can happen during difficult deliveries when the baby cannot pass through the birth canal.
The woman’s aunt is contending that the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death are suspicious and she calls for better answers from GPHC. Efforts to contact officials at GPHC for a comment on the issue proved futile.
In February of 2025, three doctors attached to the GPHC faced disciplinary actions for failing to adhere to protocols in a stillbirth case on January 18.
The hospital terminated the services of the senior doctor, who had oversight of the shift and case and whose failure to supervise contributed to breaches in protocol.
Additionally, the GPHC suspended two doctors with senior oversight of the case for a period of 28 days.
The investigation into the incident was launched after the patient, 32-year-old Mayhelm González, formally lodged a complaint with the hospital.
