TN family's 2nd baby too has 'burning' syndrome

VILLUPURAM: An eight-day-old baby, who reportedly caught fire spontaneously, and his mother from Tindivanam in Villupuram district will be sent to Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital (KMC) in Chennai for a detailed medical examination. The doctors at Mundiyambakkam Government Medical College, who treated the baby, believe that spontaneous combustion was highly impossible, but decided to subject the baby and his mother, K Rajeswari from T Parangini village, for thorough medical analysis before arriving at a conclusion.
This is the second baby in the family to catch fire "spontaneously". The woman’s first son Rahul "caught fire" at least four times within the first 50 days of his birth and the mother-baby duo underwent treatment at KMC in August 2013. Fortunately, Rahul did not catch fire thereafter.
Her second son born on January 9 at Nedimozhiyanur Primary Health Centre (PHC) caught fire on January 15 at her house. The woman claimed she saw the infant’s two feet in flames and took him to the PHC with the help of neighbours. He was later shifted to Mundiyambakkam Government Medical College.
"The probability of baby catching fire spontaneously is bleak. However, we are not ruling out any options. We propose to refer the baby and mother to a higher institute with better facilities like KMC for detailed investigations. The baby sustained 10% burn injuries on his ankles and feet," said medical college dean Usha Sadhasivam. The baby has been kept under observation.
But the mother expressed reluctance to undergo further diagnosis in Chennai. Rajeswari argued she was accused of abusing and torturing her first baby boy when the two underwent treatment at KMC. Dr Bharathidasan from Nedimozhiyanur PHC, who was the first to treat both her babies, said Rajeswari sought his help to stop the proposed medical examination in Chennai.
"There are possibilities of foul play also. On all instances of spontaneous combustion, the mother was the last person seen with the babies," Bharathidasan said. He said the child was born in the PHC and both baby and mother did not show any abnormality. "I got a call on January 15 from her saying that the newborn caught fire like her first son. The infant was rushed to PHC. On diagnosis the baby was found to be normal except for the burn injuries on his ankles and feet," he said.