President calls death of infant deeply tragic, demands investigation

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has described the death of a two-month-old infant in Kaunas as deeply tragic and called for a full investigation into the circumstances, LRT reports.

The case involves a decision by the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service to remove seven children from their family, including the deceased infant, following the child’s death in a Kaunas hospital. The service later stated it had not been informed of the death when making its decision.

“I am deeply saddened that such a misunderstanding occurred, and I hope it will be clarified through internal controls to prevent a recurrence,” Nausėda told reporters in Medininkai. “Attempting to take a child who has already died is unacceptable. It is deeply tragic, and I am truly saddened.”

The president emphasised that parental rights are inseparable from the duty to ensure children’s safety and right to life. He expressed condolences to the parents while stressing that institutions must act promptly if concerns arise.

“Parental rights go hand in hand with parental responsibilities. The life of a child, of any person, is the highest priority,” he said. “Every child’s death first and foremost evokes immense compassion and sorrow.”

According to the child’s parents’ legal representative, Dalia Jasevičienė, the mother had taken the ailing infant to Kaunas Clinics, where a hospital social worker, without waiting for a diagnosis and observing only symptoms, contacted the Child Rights Protection Service over potential parental misconduct. The service, after verifying information with the hospital, decided to remove the child from the family.

Jasevičienė stated that the decision concerned all seven children in the family but had not yet been confirmed by a court. The decision to remove the children was made on July 27, while the infant’s death was reported on July 28. The family has been known to child protection services since 2018, with the Ukmergė Social Services Centre previously responsible for their support. The children remain with the family at present.