Controversy has again arisen over the body of a stillborn baby at one of the island's public hospitals.

Andrea Swaby is seeking answers from the Victoria Jubilee Hospital about how her baby died and why the body was buried without her consent.

The grieving mother from Bull Bay, St Andrew, has reported that she developed complications during childbirth at the facility on June 14.

Before going to the hospital, Swaby said she was told at an antenatal clinic before going to the hospital that she should have had a Caesarean section.

Hospital did not comply

She conveyed the information to the hospital along with an ultrasound result, but the hospital didn't comply.

"When I tell the nurse that it was time for me to have the baby, she rude to me and is another nurse see that the baby was coming down and assist me. They had to call the doctor because I couldn't have the baby," she said.

"The doctor was there trying hard and when him see that I wasn't having the baby, him push him hand up and draw the baby neck."

She added, "One of the nurses shout, 'Oh my God, the baby neck broke!' But the other nurse said she must shhhh (be silent)."

Swaby said she was scheduled to identify the body on August 5 for an autopsy to be done but, upon her visit, she was told that the body was at Brown's Funeral Home.

However, to her surprise, when she visited the parlour, the body was not there.

"When I learn that the body wasn't at the morgue, I went back to the hospital and the senior medical officer told us that there is a mishap and they can't find the body," she lamented.

She said she was directed to return to the hospital on August 7, as more time was needed for an investigation to be done.

On August 7, she said she was told that the baby was buried on July 14 at the May Pen Cemetery.

According to Swaby, the final response from the hospital was that she would have to take the necessary steps to find out what took place.

The distraught mother said she is not sure how she would move on with her life if she doesn't know the truth about the body of her child.

Difficult to cope

In the meantime, the baby's father, who only identified himself as Spaulding, said it has been difficult for him to cope with the situation.

"Me cut up over it because them deal with me youth like an animal, me no stop grieve over the terrible condition that mi child was in," he stated.

Meanwhile, a release from the South East Regional Health Authority stated that following the mother's release from the hospital, she was asked to sign two forms - one authorising an autopsy and the other for the burial of the baby.

"Our preliminary investigations into the matter revealed that the two forms were dispatched as per our protocols to the service departments," the release stated.

"Unfortunately, the burial order was executed before the date of the post-mortem. Consequently, the body was disposed of before the post-mortem was done," it continues.

It further stated that based on preliminary investigations, the region has determined that the situation was unfortunate with no ulterior motives intended.

'Me cut up over it because them deal with me youth like an animal, me no stop grieve over the terrible condition that mi child was in.'