Toddler With Severe Burns Dies In Hospital, Family Alleges Medical Negligence

A one-and-a-half-year-old child died Thursday, while receiving treatment for burn injuries at a hospital in India.

The toddler, identified as Sera Mariya Prince, had suffered severe burn injuries after boiled milk fell on her on Sept. 12.

The incident took place when her mother was making tea in the morning. The woman was carrying the vessel with the milk when the child hugged her mother from behind and grabbed her clothes. The vessel slipped from the mother's hand and the hot milk fell on the girl, her father told Onmanorama.

The girl suffered burns on the left side of her body. Her family then rushed her to a private hospital in the southern state of Kerala.

She had been undergoing treatment for 15 days, Mathrubhumi reported Thursday.

The victim's father alleged there was negligence on the part of the staff at the hospital that led to the child's death. The father also filed a complaint against the hospital.

Authorities at the hospital rejected the negligence claim, saying the child had suffered 40% burns.

The child's health had been improving in the initial days of the treatment, but she was later diagnosed with an infection and pneumonia. Authorities said a few days after being admitted to the hospital, the child's health deteriorated, and she died.

An autopsy was conducted, and the police are awaiting the report.

Earlier this week, a one and a half-year-old child, who was choking on popcorn, died after being treated by a "drunk" doctor in India. The incident took place in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The child's family said she was rushed to a hospital after a popcorn kernel got stuck in her throat. The family alleged the doctor on duty was late by an hour and arrived at the hospital in a drunk state. The doctor then attended to the unidentified child, following which she died at the hospital. The Chief Medical Superintendent of Sirauli Gauspur, Dr. Neelum Gupta said the doctor was removed from duty following the death of the child. A team of three doctors has launched an investigation into the incident.