Aborted foetuses found at tip

Press, 10 April 1980, Page 1

Aborted foetuses found at tip

PA Wellington Aborted foetuses and other human remains have been found by children scavenging in the Silverstream rubbish dump. The foetuses and other body organs were found among rubbish from Hutt Hospital. The hospital’s medical superintendent (Mr D. C. Beetham) confirmed that human remains had been dumped at the tip but said it was a “dreadful and embarrassing mistake.” He had ordered new procedures for the disposal of human remains which would avoid a repetition. The foetuses and human remains had come from the hospital’s pathology section where they had been tested. They had been put in paper bags with notes attached saying that they should be cremated. “For some reason a porter didn’t see the notices and threw the bags in with the rubbish,” said Mr Beetham. “It is the first time

it has happened in nearly 40 years the hospital has been open and it should not have happened this time. It was just a dopey porter’* mistake. He is now well aware of the problem.” Mr Beetham said the disposal of human remains was now subject to a new procedure. Pathology staff were under orders to hand such material personally to porters and to give verbal instructions for disposal. This would avoid future oversights of written instructions. Detective Inspector C. Wilson said the Lower Hutt police had been told of the discovery of the foetuses and had initially treated the find as possible homicides. The police had not recovered the foetuses because they have been covered by rubbish but. he was satisfied that thev had come from the hospital. Appropriate action had been taken and the matter had been discussed with hospital officials.