KINGSTON, Jamaica — Chairman of the Board of the University Hospital of the West Indies James Moss Solomon, in a statement issued today, said the hospital considers the incident in which a baby went missing from a ward at the institution “very serious”.

The chairman pointed out that the missing baby is the child of a diabetic mother and requires constant medical monitoring.

Also, he stated that the hospital is leaving no stone unturned, as the incident is not being viewed as a random act.

See the chairman’s statement in full below:

At approximately 10:30 am we were alerted to the fact that there was a missing baby from Ward 11. The baby had been delivered on Thursday, December 8. The child was last seen in the cot adjacent to the mother’s bed earlier in the morning.

The persons in the Ward during the morning have been identified as: nurses on duty, and doctors and other medical staff who were making clinical rounds.

Visiting hours had not yet commenced at the time the infant went missing as visiting hours do not start until 11:00 am. 

Both parents of the missing infant are citizens of India, and are both employed as nurses here at the UHWI. The Hospital immediately called the Police, and our Security provider, Marksman Ltd. and a special investigating team attached to our Security provider. Full investigations are under way.

The hospital considers this a very serious incident, and is leaving no stone unturned, as this is not seen as a random act. This baby is the child of a diabetic mother and so requires constant medical monitoring.

We are appealing to anyone knowing the whereabouts of the missing infant to contact the UHWI at 927- 2716 or the Police at 119 so that the matter may be quickly resolved.

The hospital is taking immediate additional action to further secure the premises, and all vehicles going out are being searched since the incident came to our attention. In addition, new regulations will immediately require all visitors to the hospital to have valid identification before they can gain access to the Wards, or any other sensitive areas. We will accept a picture ID, which will include a Valid Drivers’ License, the National ID or a Passport.

The public is asked to understand the circumstances and we ask for the cooperation of everyone concerned.