The parents of a premature, five-day-old baby say they're horrified that a nurse dumped their son with a stranger after hospital staff failed to meet her at an airport on Christmas Eve.
The nurse was flying newborn Rayaan Hassan to Port Augusta Hospital in South Australia while his mother Sarah was being driven home from Adelaide, the Daily Telegraph reports.
But when the nurse arrived at the airport, there was nobody from the hospital to meet her.
Witnesses said the woman became frantic and upset after the pilot told her he needed to return to Adelaide immediately and that she'd have to wait for an evening flight.
A young woman, believed to be a teacher, came forward and offered to mind Rayaan until staff arrived.
It is believed the nurse received permission from a supervisor to leave the baby and return to Adelaide.
A witness said the baby had been given its medication and was left for 15 minutes while it slept.
The baby's father Shazhad Hassan said because his wife was still recovering from the birth, she had to be driven home.
"We asked them specifically if it was safe for the baby to go on the plane and they said … that a midwife would carry him all the way through to Port Augusta," Mr Hassan was quoted as saying.
"This woman … was in a hurry or something so she gave the baby to a person."
The Hassans were told that their newborn had been left with a stranger on December 26.
Mr Hassan said his wife still hadn't recovered from the debacle.
Health authorities confirmed two hospital staff members had been suspended while an inquiry was conducted.
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