Four doctors were indicted
Wednesday in the death of newborn Nicole Di Pietro in February,
2015.
The child went into respiratory distress soon after she was
born in a private clinic in Catania, so medical staff tried to
move her to a neonatal intensive care facility in the same city.
Local hospitals denied her a place, so an ambulance tried
to rush the newborn to the intensive care facility at a
pediatric hospital in Ragusa.
The two cities lie about 105 kilometres apart by road.
The baby died en route even as doctors in the ambulance
tried to revive her.
Gynecologist Maria Ausilia Palermo, neonatologist Antonio
Di Pasquale, and anesthetist Giovanni Gibiino will be tried for
manslaughter. Obstetrician Valentina Spanò must answer charges
of making false statements.
Charges of aiding and abetting against surgeon Danilo
Audibert were shelved.
Sicilian Carabinieri police probing the case last year said
hospitals might be claiming falsely to be full so as to avoid
being targeted for spending cuts.
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