RAWALPINDI: Police have been unable to trace the newborn baby who went missing from the nursery of Holy Family Hospital (HFH) on Sunday.

As part of the investigation, the police have been questioning the hospital staff members who were on duty when the incident occurred.

But the investigating team could not get any help from the CCTV camera installed in the nursery as no image of the abductor was available on it.

On the other hand, a five-member committee constituted by the medical superintendent of the hospital has also started interviewing the nursery staff.

Meanwhile, the parents of the missing baby are in distress and waiting for the recovery of their loved one.

Shahid Mehmood, a resident of Kallar Syedan, told Dawn that his wife was blessed with a baby boy at 6am on Saturday. At night, the hospital staff discharged them.

“As we were preparing to leave, the baby started vomiting. On seeing his condition, the doctors advised us to shift the baby to the nursery as he needed medical care,” Mr Mehmood said.

However, on Sunday morning, when his aunt went to the nursery the baby was missing.

“As she informed the hospital staff, they found a baby doll covered with a blanket lying in the cot in place of the newborn,” he said and added: “I can’t rule out the negligence and involvement of the nursery staff in the disappearance of my son.”

He also said there was a CCTV camera installed right over the baby cot but he was informed by the hospital staff that there was no backup record of the camera.

Since the newborn went missing, his wife has been in distress, he added. “We have been waiting for a phone call either from the police or the hospital management about the recovery of our missing baby,” Mr Mehmood said.

On the other hand, a kidnapping case has been registered with the New Town police on the complaint of the baby’s father.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2021