Prosecutors in Italy are seeking charges against the parents of a nine-year-old girl alleged to have been infected with HIV and deprived of medical care for years.
The girl's mother reportedly hid her HIV-positive status during pregnancy and traveled to Spain to give birth in 2017. The couple then returned to Italy, but their daughter was allegedly not seen by medical professionals until she became critically ill six years later.
They face charges of grave mistreatment leading to serious injury. Italian media report the child was born "outside any medical establishment," with parents taking no measures to ascertain infection or arrange medical visits. In July 2023, after persistent fever and coughing, she was taken to a doctor, appearing malnourished and in poor dental condition.
It was in the hospital that the child's HIV condition was discovered. The parents deny opposing vaccines or hiding her to evade medical controls, claiming they visited family in Spain and that the child received care there. A hearing is scheduled in May to determine the parents' intent.