A four-month-old baby has died in Brazil after his family alleged that hospital staff mistakenly connected his milk supply to an intravenous line instead of his feeding tube.
Miguel Angelo Barbosa died on October 20, 2026, at Hospital Memorial de Goiana in Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil, after being admitted on October 11 for treatment of bronchiolitis.
According to his family, the infant had shown signs of improvement and was awaiting further medical assessments when the incident occurred.
His aunt, Meyre Gabriela da Silva, who had been staying with him at the hospital, said she briefly left the room at around 4am to use the bathroom. On returning, she found him in distress and called medical staff.
The family alleges that his milk had been connected to an intravenous line used to administer medication and fluids rather than the feeding tube leading to his stomach.
Medical staff reportedly attempted to resuscitate the baby for more than an hour, but he did not survive.
The cause of death has not been independently established. Pernambuco Civil Police registered the case as a homicide on October 21 and opened an investigation to establish what happened and determine the circumstances of the death.
The hospital said the employee involved had been suspended pending an internal investigation by its patient-safety team. It also expressed condolences to the family and pledged to cooperate with authorities.
Miguel’s body underwent a forensic examination before being released to his relatives. He was buried on October 22.
