Home birth: Newborn baby dies in Idukki

Kochi: A newborn baby died during delivery at home in Idukki on Monday. The baby boy of Johnson and Viji couple, living in a rented house at Vazhathope panchayat, died around 10am. The baby was the fourth child of the couple. They did not seek hospital treatment during pregnancy and delivery. The incident came to light when health workers reached the house on Monday. Ward member Ajesh Kumar P V said Johnson is a pastor, and the family leads a secluded life. "They have three other children but have not enrolled them in school. The pastor is providing them with home schooling. The elder child was born at a hospital after the mother experienced complications in the delivery. The other two children were born at home," Ajesh Kumar said.When the health staff on Sunday advised them to seek hospital facilities for delivery, Johnson did not pay attention to it. "Instead, he normalised the delivery at home. When the health staff went there on Monday morning, he said the baby died. The mother was later taken to the hospital," he said.Idukki police registered a case for unnatural death under section 194 of the BNS. Police will conduct an autopsy of the baby on Tuesday. TNN