The trial of a couple charged with a count each of manslaughter, arising from breach of their duties has started before Suva High Court Judge Justice, Vinsent Perera.
34-year-old Petero Taitusi and 29-year-old Loata Vitalina of Sawanikula, Dawasamu allegedly failed to ensure the safety of their 1 year 10 month old child which caused the child’s death.
The prosecution’s first witness, Taina Maresela who is a staff nurse at the Samabula Health Centre told the court that Vitalina had brought the baby to the health centre on 19th February, 2013.
However Maresela says that Vitalina came to her and asked for hookworm tablets.
Maresela told the court that she told Vitalina to bring the baby for assessment but in response Vitalina said that there was nothing wrong with the baby and she only asked for the hookworm tablet.
Maresela says she later conducted an assessment of the baby and found that the baby had swollen eyes and legs and the baby was also breathing fast.
Maresela told the court that she made referrals because the baby needed hospitalization and further assessments.
She says there was a harsh sound coming from the left side of the baby’s chest.
Maresela told the court that she made the arrangement with the ambulance for the baby to be transferred to the CWM children’s outpatients unit but the mother of the baby told her that they will go in the taxi because it was easy and they had enough money.
She told the court that while she was making calls to check on the ambulance, the mother left the health centre with the baby.
The prosecution witness said that the baby had visited Samabula Health Centre 6 times.
She told the court that it is not normal for a baby of that age to get sick that many times.
During the cross examination, the witness told the court that she had told the mother that the baby had pneumonia.
Maresela told the court that she did not give the hookworm tablets because when she came to know the name of the baby, she recalled that the child is sickly.
She told the court that she told the mother that pneumonia can kill her baby.
The trial will continue tomorrow.
