Italian prosecutors are pursuing charges against the parents of a nine-year-old girl, who is alleged to have been infected with HIV and denied necessary medical attention for a prolonged period.
Reports indicate the girl’s mother reportedly concealed her own HIV-positive status during her pregnancy. She subsequently traveled to Spain in 2017 to give birth to the child.
Following their return to Italy, the couple’s daughter allegedly remained unseen by any medical professionals for six years. This period concluded only when the child became severely unwell.
The parents are reportedly facing accusations of severe mistreatment resulting in serious injury, according to Italian media outlets. The BBC has reached out to the Bologna prosecutor’s office for a statement.
Information emerging from Italian news sources suggests the couple’s daughter was born outside of any formal medical facility. Following her birth, her parents reportedly made no efforts to determine if the infection had been transmitted to the child. They also did not arrange for any medical consultations or administer vaccinations for their daughter.
It was not until July 2023 that the girl was finally taken to a doctor. This occurred after she developed a fever and suffered from a persistent cough.
Upon examination, the child appeared to be malnourished, exhibited difficulty walking, and had damaged teeth. She was also reportedly still using diapers, according to Italian media reports. The attending doctor advised immediate hospitalization and reportedly threatened to involve the police due to the parents’ hesitance in agreeing to this course of action.
The child’s HIV status was subsequently identified during her hospital admission. The parents then reportedly provided an account of the events that led to this situation.
Corriere della Sera newspaper states that the couple denies opposing vaccinations or having traveled to Spain to circumvent Italian medical regulations. They maintain that their move was due to the presence of the mother’s family, who are of Colombian descent, residing in Spain.
Furthermore, they claim the child received medical care in Spain until 2019, the year they returned to Italy. However, it was only in 2022 that they officially registered her with a private physician in Bologna.
The couple’s legal representative has indicated that the upcoming legal proceedings will assess whether the parents acted with the intention to harm their daughter. A hearing is scheduled for May.