Mother cause newborn amputation
On Monday (10 March), a mother in Taiwan was sentenced to five months in jail after her newborn suffered severe burns that led to the amputation of the baby’s toes.
The incident occurred in Sept 2023, when the mother, surnamed Wu, fell asleep while drying her baby’s wet bed.
As a result, the infant was exposed to hot air for three hours, suffering 15.5% total body burns.
According to Oriental Daily, Wu was taking care of her newborn alone when she noticed that the baby had wet the bed.
To dry the mattress, she moved her daughter aside and used a hair dryer.
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However, due to drowsiness from a medication she had taken, Wu accidentally fell asleep with the hair dryer still running.
When she eventually woke up, she was horrified to find her daughter’s legs red and covered in blisters.
Realising the severity of her mistake, Wu immediately rushed her daughter to the hospital.
The barely one-month-old infant had suffered first- and second-degree burns. Medical reports confirmed that 15.5% of her body had been affected by the prolonged heat exposure.
Due to the extent of the injuries, doctors amputated three toes on the baby’s left foot — her middle, ring, and little toe.
The hospital subsequently reported the case to a domestic violence centre, prompting a police investigation.
During the court hearing, Wu explained that she was suffering from severe postpartum depression and often fell asleep after taking her medication.
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She insisted that she had set the hair dryer at a low temperature and had not expected it to cause harm.
However, the judge ruled that Wu had been negligent, stating that she was aware that prolonged exposure to hot air could cause burns but failed to take precautions.
Wu was sentenced to five months in jail, though she can commute her sentence to a fine.
Also read: 1-month-old S’pore baby dies after mum falls asleep & accidentally covers baby with blanket
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Featured image adapted from Pixabay on Canva and pinaCub on Canva, both images are for illustration purposes only.