Needle Allegedly Left Inside Newborn Sparks Child Rights Investigation in Kerala

In a case that’s rattling the quiet corridors of Kottayam Medical College Hospital, the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has formally opened a case. The trigger? A family’s claim that a needle was left inside their baby girl’s body during treatment in 2025.

Acting Chairperson Cicily Joseph logged the complaint on a Saturday, according to an official release out of Thiruvananthapuram. The commission isn’t sitting on its hands; it has asked for detailed reports from both the Kottayam District Police Superintendent and the hospital’s own superintendent.

Meanwhile, the medical college has put together a three‑member panel to sift through the family’s allegations. The team is headed by Deputy Superintendent Dr Frederike Paul, with Dr R Beena Kumari (Head of Gynaecology) and Dr Binny John (Head of General Surgery) rounding out the group.

According to the parents, the needle was only discovered almost a year after their daughter’s birth. Mother Anju delivered the baby on June 24, 2025, and the newborn was shifted to the NICU the following day because of fever and jaundice. It was during a routine check‑up at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital in July 2026 that a needle was spotted near the child’s right ribs, prompting an urgent surgery to remove it.

Both the Child Rights Commission and the hospital’s investigative panel say they will examine every detail – from the exact moment the needle might have entered the infant’s body to the protocols that were (or weren’t) followed during her care.

The story is still unfolding, and the family hopes for answers and accountability, while the authorities assure the public that a thorough, transparent inquiry is underway.