Investigation launched into sudden death of newborn baby at UZ Brussel

The Brussels public prosecutor’s office has opened a judicial investigation into the death of a newborn baby at UZ Brussel on 24 January.

According to the child’s parents, two products were mixed up when an umbilical catheter was inserted. Instead of a rinsing fluid, a disinfectant, ethanol, was injected into the catheter, causing the child to die of acute liver failure.

Baby Loewi was born on 23 January at the AZ Jan Portaels hospital in Vilvoorde, following an emergency caesarean section.

Because the baby was born prematurely, he needed respiratory support. Since the necessary equipment was not available in Vilvoorde, the child was transferred to UZ Brussel in Jette.

There, an umbilical catheter was inserted to facilitate blood sampling, but two products were allegedly mixed up: a product to clean the tube and a product to disinfect the wound around the navel.

“His skin was turning purple,” Loewi’s mother told VTM. According to the parents’ account, the baby began to convulse and the hospital staff then disconnected the catheter and placed him in his mother’s arms, where he died.

“This was alcohol poisoning,” the child’s father told Het Laatste Nieuws.

“It triggered acute liver failure. And because the liver is no longer functioning, the blood becomes acidic. He must have been in agony.”

According to the parents’ testimony, the hospital admitted the mistake and notified the police, but UZ Brussel said the hospital only offered a possible explanation to the parents.

“An investigation by the public prosecutor’s office is currently under way, as well as an internal investigation,” a spokesperson for the hospital said.

“We sympathise with the loss of the parents and family and are cooperating fully with the investigation. In the interests of the investigation, we will not provide any further information.”

Brussels public prosecutor’s office spokesperson Laura Demullier said the office was informed of the death and considers it suspicious.

“An investigating judge has been appointed so that all necessary investigative measures can be carried out,” Demullier said.