The Guardia Civil will open proceedings against Ángel Ruiz-Valdepeñas, the suspended anti-vaccine doctor, for his participation last Monday in a home birth in Santa Eulària, Ibiza in which the baby suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest and died on Friday in the Mallorcan hospital of Son Espases. For his part, the president of the Official Medical College of the Balearic Islands (Comib), Carles Recasens, announced yesterday that he will appear as a private prosecutor in this case if the investigation determines the responsibility of the doctor in this tragedy.
The Peripheral Office of Communication of the Guardia Civil in the Balearic Islands indicated yesterday that the investigation into these events is still open and that this week the collection of testimonies will continue. However, this spokesperson said that proceedings will be opened against Ruiz-Valdepeñas for assisting in birth despite being suspended from membership by the Comib, which opened disciplinary proceedings in September 2020 for serious violations of the Code of Ethics and Medical Ethics.
Urgent transfer to Mallorca
The baby was initially admitted on Monday at the Hospital Can Misses, from where she was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Son Espases. Ruiz-Valdepeñas himself, in declarations to this newspaper, said that the home birth took place normally and that she suffered cardiorespiratory arrest a few minutes after breastfeeding. He also assured that it was the family who called him to come to the house in Ibiza, through a mutual friend, denying that he is promoting his services as a health care provider.
Ruiz-Valdepeñas also rejected the label of “denialist” with which he is often referred to, insisting that he does not deny the existence of the virus. In fact, he stated that his father had died from covid and that his brother suffered from the virus, although he maintains his rejection of vaccines and restrictions to prevent contagion. He also denied being disqualified as a physician because he has filed an appeal against the serious sanction imposed on him by the Comib.
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