Lithuanian child rights defenders address case of deceased 2-month-old girl
Thursday 30th July 2026 on 13:00 in
Lithuania
Lithuania’s State Child Rights and Adoption Service (VTAĮT) has clarified the circumstances surrounding the death of a 2-month-old girl with Patau syndrome from the Ukmergė district, following public criticism over its handling of the case.
The agency confirmed that the infant, who died in a Kaunas hospital, was taken to the facility in a state of exhaustion and critical condition. Authorities decided to remove all seven children from the family due to concerns over potential neglect, but the parents were only notified days later because the service learned of the child’s death after the decision had already been made.
Lina Baranauskienė, head of the Vilnius County Child Rights Division, explained at a press conference that the removal of children from their parents is an extreme measure, taken only when there is a real threat to the child’s safety. In this case, medical professionals had alerted authorities after the infant was admitted to the hospital in a life-threatening state.
“Every child has the right to receive necessary care, especially when dealing with serious illnesses, to avoid suffering. While parental love and closeness are crucial, timely medical intervention is equally important—particularly for infants,” Baranauskienė said. She added that the service is reviewing communication protocols with hospitals to prevent similar delays in the future.
Neighbours familiar with the family told LRT.lt that the infant’s condition at birth had indicated a need for immediate medical attention, which may not have been provided promptly. The father, Mintautas, stated that the parents had sought help from Kaunas clinics after the child failed to gain weight and was unable to suckle due to Patau syndrome.
According to LRT.lt, the family currently has six other children, aged approximately 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, and 17. The deceased infant was their seventh child. The parents had reportedly not sought medical care during the pregnancy and gave birth at home.