Parents’ botched operation to circumcise their five-month-old son has led to the death of the toddler after he was was rushed to hospital in Bologna, Italy.
He is believed to have died from a cardiac arrest later that night.His parents – believed to be from Ghana – are now facing manslaughter charges and a case has been opened against them by the prosecutor’s office in the northern province of Reggio Emilia and an autopsy will follow.
Many immigrants from Muslim background in Italy wish for their sons to be circumcised but often have trouble finding doctors to perform the operation. Privately it can cost about £3,500 (Sh465,530) but illegal practitioners can charge as low as £17 (Sh2,260) in backstreet clinics.
Back in December another young boy died after suffering severe blood loss during another botched home operation. In that case, his twin brother also nearly died but survived following intensive care treatment.
The doctor, who was believed to be an American citizen of Libyan origin, called for emergency help when the boy began excessively bleeding, Italian media reported at the time.
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The baby’s twin brother also underwent the operation and was admitted to Sant Andrea hospital but was later transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
The boy’s mother was said to be a woman of Nigerian origin, who was believed to have sought asylum in Italy and has five other children in Nigeria.