Newborn removed from NA Hospital: Human Services Ministry says protocols followed, family regularly updated

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has issued a statement to explain why a newborn was taken from the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. The Ministry said that throughout the process, the family was consulted, kept informed, and treated with compassion and respect. This statement follows public concern over comments from 20-year-old Keshma Jagdeo, a mother from Port Mourant, who reported that she was not properly informed about her baby’s situation after giving birth at home and being transferred to the regional hospital for care.
In a press release issued on Friday, the Ministry said the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) was alerted by medical staff shortly after the delivery due to concerns that both the young mother and her own mother appeared to show signs of developmental delay.
This triggered a standard child-safeguarding assessment, which included home visits, interviews and efforts by officers to determine whether the family could safely care for the newborn. According to the Ministry, CPA officers found the family’s Port Mourant home in a severely unsanitary condition despite repeated guidance on how to improve the environment for a newborn. Officers also noted that the family relied heavily on neighbours for routine support and that the maternal grandmother informed them she is ill and requires weekly hospital visits, factors that raised concerns about their capacity to manage round-the-clock newborn care. The Ministry said several attempts were made to work with the family to improve the situation, including discussions on hygiene, monitoring and safe-sleep conditions. However, the living space remained unsuitable.
The release further stated that although the CPA explored kinship-care options, the individuals proposed by the family were not known caregivers or relatives with established ties. In some cases, the Ministry said, the persons put forward were strangers or people the family barely knew and could not reasonably be entrusted with a newborn. Medical staff at New Amsterdam Hospital also advised that prolonged hospitalisation of the baby carried increasing infection risks and that the facility could not continue to keep the newborn indefinitely.
With no suitable caregiver identified and the home circumstances unchanged, the CPA said it was obligated to secure a temporary alternative placement in the best interest of the child. The Ministry emphasised that both CPA officers and hospital staff attempted to contact the mother and grandmother through multiple channels on the day the baby was scheduled to be discharged but were unable to reach them. It added that efforts were also made the day prior to discharge. The baby has since been placed in the protective care of the CPA. The Ministry says its ultimate goal remains family reunification, once the environment meets minimum standards required for an infant.
A senior official from the Region Six Department of Health confirmed that both the Port Mourant and New Amsterdam Hospitals have been instructed to submit full documentation on the case, including patient records, staff notes, and transfer details.
The Regional Health Officer Dr Vineshri Khirodhar the region is cooperating fully with the Human Services Ministry.

Family still seeks clarification
However, the mother and grandmother, continue to insist that no one explained to them that the baby would be removed from their care or placed in protective custody. The grandmother previously told this newspaper that the family only realised something was wrong when they were no longer allowed to see the newborn.
Relatives say they remain deeply distressed and want a clearer explanation of what transpired during the assessment, why they were deemed unfit and why none of the individuals they proposed were accepted as temporary caregivers.
They also maintain that they were not contacted on the day of the discharge, contradicting the Ministry’s statement. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Human Services says it will continue working with the Port Mourant family to improve their living conditions and address any limitations identified during the assessment. Once those concerns are resolved, and the home meets required safety standards, the Ministry said efforts will be made to reunite the child with the mother.