The mother of the 1-year-10-months-old baby who is charged with manslaughter told the Suva High Court that the staff nurse at the Samabula Health Centre did not tell her anything about her child’s illness.
29-year-old Loata Vitalina and 34-year-old Petero Taitusi of Sawanikula, Dawasamu are charged with a count each of manslaughter arising from the breach of their duties which caused the death of their baby.
During examination in chief by defence lawyer, Thomson Lee, Vitalina told the court that on the 19th of February, 2013 she took her baby to Samabula Health Centre as he was feeling hot.
Vitalina told the court that after going to the health centre she took the number and sat for 30 minutes.
She says the nurse took the temperature of the baby and she asked for the hookworm tablets.
When questioned by Lee why she asked for hookworm tablets, Vitalina said that she had noticed hookworms in her child’s stool that morning.
Vitalina told the court that the nurse gave the hookworm tablets for her baby.
She says her baby took the tablets and they waited for the ambulance.
Vitalina says the nurse did not tell her anything about the illness but told them to sit and wait for the ambulance.
The 1-year-10 month old baby died at 7am on the 28th of February 2013 at his home in Sawanikula, Dawasamu.
