Warning: This article contains content of a very traumatic birth that may be distressing to some.
A heartbroken father has spoken out after witnessing his newborn daughter’s head being ripped off during childbirth. While it sounds nearly impossible and absolutely horrific, several media outlets have reported that the child’s head became completely detached after the doctor attempted to remove the baby too quickly.
The New York Post reports that the traumatic birth took place on May 1 2023 at the Hospital das Clinicas da UFMG, in the Santa Efigenia neighborhood of Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state.
While the details of what exactly happened are unclear, the New York Post reports that the mother, Ranielly Coelho Santos, was hospitalised at the end of April at 28 weeks pregnant due to high blood pressure. Ranielly, 33, also has a nine-year-old daughter.
“Ripped off the child’s head”
She was induced seven days later on 1 May 2023. During the birth, the obstetrician, who has not been named, reportedly called the baby’s father to observe the procedure closely.
It is alleged that the doctor climbed onto the woman’s stomach to put pressure on her belly. In doing so, the pressure “ripped off the child’s head,” the devastated dad told police.
He told investigators that he even saw the baby blinking and moving her mouth, which he said was proof she was alive at the time.
Family demands answers
The traumatic birth has made headlines across Brazil and the parents of the newborn are now filing a lawsuit against the obstetrician and hospital. The family claims they haven’t received an apology from the doctor responsible for their daughter’s death.
The hospital did agree to pay for the burial costs, as long as the family signed a waiver stating the following:
- That “the autopsy had already been performed at the hospital”
- That ‘”the child’s body had already been examined”
- That “the body would not be forwarded to the Legal Medical Institute (IML)” for further analysis
The family refused to sign this and has since filed a complaint with the police and contacted a lawyer for representation.
The hospital told Itatiaia that it “deeply regretted” the case and said they would “make every effort to investigate the facts” while awaiting the autopsy report.
The baby’s body is set to be released to the parents today so that it may be buried by the devastated family. The result has not been made public and a police investigation is ongoing.
Our hearts break for this family and we hope they receive the justice they deserve. Hopefully, there will be a full inquest into what exactly happened in this instance.
*Please note that this kind of thing is not something that happens often, not in Australia or Brazil. Birth trauma resulting in death is incredibly rare, especially a traumatic birth of this nature.
In 2022, a mother in America received $1.4 (USD) for pain and suffering after her son was decapitated during birth. Five years after her son’s decapitation, the mother still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression as a result of this horrific event.
According to WHO, in 2017, the number of newborns (ages 0-27 days old) deaths due to birth asphyxia and birth trauma per 1,000 live births was 0.4 in Australia. In Brazil, this number was 1.3.
