‘It was a matter of time’

By CHRIS LLOYD

A pathologist's report on the baby boy who died
in Lions Gate Hospital after being abandoned
there just a few hours after his birth four months
earlier, shows that death was due to pneumonia.

But pathologist Dr. Eric
Robertson says that whereas
it was the illness that
eventually took the baby’s
life, the boy's brain was so
severely damaged that it
barely functioned — suf-
ficiently to keep him alive.

“It was a congenital
condition in which most of
his brain was missing,” Dr.
Robertson told the News.

“It was imcompatible with
life or long survival and it
was amazing he lived as long
as he did. It was a matter of
time.”

Kenneth Allan — the
names given to him by Lions
Gate medical staff who
treated him after he had

xbeen found — was left
wrapped in a blanket inside a
cardboard box on the
hospital steps just four hours
after he had been born, back
in August.

News stories at the time
brought various calls from
people wanting to adopt
him, as well as others of-
fering a temporary home
while adopted parents were
found.

He was released from
Lions Gate three weeks after
he was born and was placed

in a foster home while
Department of Human
Resources workers went
through the legalities of

registering his birth and

Pneumonia killed LGH baby .

selecting parents for him.
ACUTE

But while in the foster
home his health problems
became noticeable and it
was learned he suffered from
serious anemia and
hydrocephalus (water on the
brain). He was returned to
hospital and stayed there
until the time of his death.

Dr. Robertson told the
News that Kenneth Allan's
brain damage was so acute
that at times the boy would
stop breathing and have to
be revived.

“The brain didn’t develop
and the space was occupied
by fluid.”

He confirmed earlier
opinions that the medical
conditions had almost no
possiblilty of occurring
through the circumstances
of the birth or the boy's post-
natal trauma.

Dr. Robertson said he felt
certain that the boy had not

Repairs to be done

FROM PAGE A3

up with the conditions.

But for the couple who
decided to leave, a month
and a half of mopping up and
moving furmiture 1s more
than they care to put up
with.

“We have two kids. five
and 12 there's con-
densation all over the walls
and everything stinks.”

DON'T
WANT TOGO

The Fishers, on the other
hand, don't want lo move

“All we want 1s for the
owners lo pay for damages
and to make the necessary
repairs home
Our children are growing up

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bere and our memones are
here -- it would just be much
better if they were pleasant.”

Fisher says he has con-
tacted a lawyer. He also says
he contacted North Van
Distnet Fire Department
about a year ago and was
told “their hands were tied”.
He says the fire department

suggested he phone the
municipal hall, which he
‘says he did.

“They said they d look into
it but nothing happened ”

Fisher contends there are
other problems in the
building. For example. he
says the lights are burnt out
in the breezeways “you
have to feel your way up the
bannisters”

And he about

says two
weeks ago. the tenants went
for seven of cight days

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without heat or hot water
while the boiler was being
fixed.

He also said Thursday that
the electmc fans in his
bathroom were dripping
water from the condensation
that had collected
everywhere. He shut them
off.

But he said he was told
Thursday by the = main-
tenance personnel that the
owners planned to replace
all the roofs in the complex
in the spnng.

Little agrees and says Intra
West intends to “make full
repairs to the roof in the
spring”

She said the company 1s
looking to the property as a
long term investment and

would be making extensive
repairs to problem arcas

~HNTETERS

A9 - Sunday News, December 14, 1980

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suffered from neglect or
maltreatment after his birth,
adding: “To look at him he
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