Barinas hospital staff detained after newborn suffers burns

Seven healthcare workers at the Dr. Luis Razetti Hospital in Barinas have been detained following an incident where a thermal lamp fell on a newborn, causing third-degree burns to the infant's face, hands, and fingers.

The Barinas Municipal Police carried out the arrests. The detainees face charges of serious intentional injuries committed through professional negligence and imprudence. Authorities are currently searching for an eighth suspect who remains at large. The case gained significant attention after the infant's father used social media to denounce a lack of medical attention, alleging that eight days passed without adequate surgical intervention or specialist evaluation.

The Venezuelan Society of Puericulture and Pediatrics (Barinas branch) issued a statement expressing solidarity with the family. The medical guild called for an investigation conducted with technical-scientific rigor and respect for due process, while defending the professional character of the neonatology department head and the involved medical team.