Couple flees hospital with their five-hour-old baby to avoid tests: arrested on the run

When you’ve just given birth a few hours earlier, it’s safe to assume the last thing most people would be contemplating is doing a runner. But that’s exactly how one couple in Madrid celebrated the arrival of their newborn baby.

Parents flee with newborn baby despite warning

The parents, along with an “accomplice,” were arrested by Spanish police after fleeing the Gregorio Marañón Maternity and Children’s Hospital in the east of the city without medical clearance or having followed the required procedures.

The 37-year-old mother and 45-year-old father allegedly refused to allow hospital staff to perform standard newborn screening tests, including a neonatal heel prick test. The couple had been repeatedly warned they were not permitted to discharge themselves from the hospital but left on foot regardless.

What law did the parents break?

They were swiftly tracked down by the authorities, along with a 17-year-old girl, who was also taken into custody. The trio were stopped just outside the hospital and arrested on suspicion of violating family welfare laws.

Local media reported that the parents, who both hail from Spain, already have lengthy criminal records and have now added another offence to the list.

The newborn, who was reportedly only five hours old, was taken back into the hospital for assessment and proper postnatal care.

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