Newborn Dies After Six-Year-Old
Tragedy in French Hospital: Baby Dies After Fall
Five-day-old Zayneb-Cassandra died after suffering a severe brain injury at the Jeanne-de-Flandre Children’s Hospital in Lille, France. She was found unconscious on the floor beside her crib on July 11 and died four days later. Prosecutors confirmed the trauma was “consistent with a fall to the floor.”
A six-year-old boy, left unsupervised in the maternity ward, is believed to have taken the infant from her crib and dropped her. “A six-year-old child, a member of another family, was indeed seen near the crib and the child on the floor,” prosecutors stated.
Concerns Over Lack of Supervision
Witnesses say the child had been roaming the hospital unsupervised while his mother recovered from childbirth. Delphine, another patient, said, “He was running around everywhere and had already touched a baby in a stroller.”
Zayneb’s family members reported warning staff about the boy’s behavior. Her cousin Karima said, “The day before, Zayneb had already been found without a diaper or electrodes, wet and suffering from hypothermia.”
Family Devastated, Father Blames Hospital
Zayneb’s father, Mohamed-Hamza, expressed heartbreak but directed blame at the hospital. “Every six-year-old is a little disruptive… But the child should have been supervised.”
Her grandmother, Fatma, added, “The boy would arrive at 7am and spend all day running up and down the hallways… It seems he tried to grab her by her nappy, and she fell on her head.”
Investigations Launched
Authorities have opened a criminal investigation, and the hospital is conducting an internal review. A hospital spokesperson acknowledged a “particularly serious and upsetting exceptional event.”
Zayneb’s parents are awaiting answers. “It won’t bring my daughter back… But we’re waiting for answers,” said Mohamed-Hamza. “Justice will do its job.”
