The Bhutanese Leading the way.
An infant (baby girl) was found abandoned in Haa hospital toilet on 16 May 2019 at around 11:30 AM. The hospital cleaner was the one who witnessed the infant being abandoned in toilet while she was on her daily cleaning routine.
Later, after thorough enquiry in and around the hospital, it was found that a 19-year-old student is the mother of the abandoned infant. It was also learnt that she gave birth in the toilet, abandoned the baby and escaped the hospital.
A Doctor from Haa hospital said that the suspect was not admitted in the hospital. She was brought in hospital by her school teacher for a health check-up since she complained of having lower stomach pain. She also claimed that she had a UTI.
As per her description of pain, the hospital then asked her to give them a sample of her urine. She was also asked to do an ultra sound after the urine test. The suspect than went to toilet to get her urine sample and there she probably gave birth, the doctor said.
She then came out of the toilet and told one of the staff that she has already given her urine sample to someone. However, it was learnt that she did not bring her urine sample as they discovered the empty urine sample collection in emergency ward.
The doctor said that the suspect was hesitant and did not wanted to wait for her report and thereby she left the hospital saying she will be back in few minutes. Since then she did not come back, doctor added.
Meanwhile, Doctor said that when they were informed about the infant in toilet they immediately did resuscitation on the infant with a hope to save the baby, however they were unsuccessful. It was learnt that the baby was already dead when it came to their notice.
“The baby was born term which means it is not a premature birth. The school said that they did not know about her pregnancy. Her belly wasn’t that big either may be because she was too young,” the doctor added. The doctor also said that, she lied and gave a wrong history about her illness to the staff and she was reluctant to do a pregnancy test.
The incident was reported to police the same day. The police said that they are yet to investigate the case as the suspect is not in a condition to talk. “Therefore, it is too early to comment,” the police said.
The body of the infant is still in hospital and the suspect is undergoing a medical treatment.
Moral Police – society and lawmakers all will see the girl as criminal for this act. She is too young and probably needed counseling and care, and not run away from the fear of being criminalized. Remove the abortion ban! Let the girl access pressure free health check and care and not the burden to bear the child at an early age and in a society that judges her.
We (society, lawmakers) need to understand things beyond her act here
Why will she not run away and lie?
She fears she will be called whore for having sex and being pregnant.
Her man is free, enjoying life and probably wooing another girl.
Now that she is pregnant, she has numerous worries/troubles.
Should be telling everyone – her father (no he would beat her black and blue. Her family? – no, they will abandon her, they will beat her, they will disown her. They will call her names. Well no no she rather just kill herself. No no she can’t do that – killing oneself is scary.
What will society say – uncles, aunties, relatives, cousins, etc. They will all think lowly of her.
Her man is proud he impregnated a cute girl. Oops, he thinks to himself and it grows to laughs. But, who will know he is the father. He can say that this girl is a whore, she cannot be trusted. He can easily lie and go about, the court will take long to prove it.
She is only 19, school yet to finish. No job. How can she support herself first and supporting another being is out of the question. The society is too cruel to girls, she wishes she was like the man who can have sex and not get pregnant.
His body will not change so any need to hide or tell lie to people around. He can roam freely.
His is the man and he can flirt, have multiple sex, impregnant girls and he will never be called a whore.
She is damned for this mistake – she cannot seek the help of family, relatives, friends nor is she capable on her own…her choice is to abort the unborn child.
Hey kill that man and the girl too….