Hospital Search

[Anchor Lead]

The police searched hospital rooms and computers on Thursday at a Seoul hospital for evidence related to the sudden deaths of four newborns at the hospital over the weekend. The authorities are investigating whether the hospital was at fault.

[Pkg]

Police carry out boxes containing confiscated materials after the search and seizure of Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. The search took place three days after the infant deaths. Thirteen police officers from the medical malpractice team as well as staff members from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Forensic Service took part in the operation. The police officers first took the incubators in which the deceased infants were being treated from the neonatal intensive care unit on the 11th floor. Then the officers confiscated syringes and other medical devices.

[Soundbite] Park Chang-hwan(Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency) : "We secured and sealed the incubators and other medical devices and completed evidence preservation measures."

The police have sent the seized medical equipment to the National Forensic Service. The medical devices used in treating the newborns will be analyzed to find out treatment conditions and the types of drugs administered at the time. The computer center located in the basement was also searched to secure electronic medical files containing diagnosis and prescription information. The search and seizure operation was carried out in ten places, including eight personal offices of medical staff members. Through the search and seizure, the police are performing checks to confirm the possibility of hospital error. In analyzing the cause of infant deaths, the National Forensic Service conducted several tests to determine the possibility of germ infection and errors in drug administration. Meanwhile, funeral services for the four deceased infants were carried out individually yesterday.