Castellammare hospital head arrested over newborn death and cover-up

Authorities in Castellammare di Stabia have arrested the former head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at San Leonardo Hospital following an investigation into the death of a newborn baby.

Eutalia Esposito, 71, has been placed under house arrest. She faces charges including manslaughter in a healthcare setting, material and ideological falsehood by a public official, fraud in a criminal proceeding, and misdirection. The investigation, led by the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor's Office, suggests that medical errors occurred during a delivery in early 2024, leading to the infant's death in intensive care approximately one month later.

Investigators allege that the medical staff engaged in a systematic cover-up to hide these errors, including the alteration of clinical records and the crime scene. In addition to Esposito, three other staff members—gynecologists Salvatore Ercolano and Natalina Buono, and midwife Roberta Vinaccia—have been suspended from professional practice and public office for twelve months.