London, April 29: A Baby boy who survived a botched abortion at 22 weeks was simply wrapped in cloth and left to die by Italian doctors.
The infant’s mother had sought an abortion after scans revealed that the baby would likely be disabled, London’s Daily Telegraph reported.
Doctors in Rossano, southern Italy, carried out the procedure however the infant survived. It’s alleged that he was then wrapped in a sheet, umbilical cord still attached, and abandoned.
The infant was discovered alive on Saturday – 20 hours after the botched termination – when a hospital chaplain went to pray beside the body and noticed him moving, the Telegraph added.
The little boy died Monday in intensive care, prompting Italian police to launch a homicide investigation
The country’s law states that doctors had an obligation to try to preserve the life of a child if it survives a termination.
The Italian Government is also considering an inquiry into the conduct of the hospital staff. The allegations have reignited debate on the legality of abortion in the staunchly Roman Catholic country.
It also raises questions about the legal upper limits for abortion and the ability of fetuses to survive outside of the womb.
Abortion in Italy has been available on demand since 1978 in the first three months of pregnancy but is restricted to specific circumstances, such as including disability, in the second trimester.
—Agencies