"If the death of a child is not enough to launch an investigation, I don't know what is": Mother of seven-month-old Nina Rakić suspects medical error

The parents of seven-month-old Nina Rakić are demanding an investigation into her sudden death, suspecting medical error after she passed away following a visit to a hospital for a cold. Nina's mother, Marija Rakić, described her daughter as a healthy, happy, and loved child.

On June 24, 2025, Nina began vomiting and became lethargic. A pediatrician initially suspected a stomach virus and referred the family to the "Stefan Visoki" hospital in Smederevska Palanka. At the hospital, Nina received an IV drip in a small room designated as a day hospital. According to Marija, the doctor stated the blood test results were not alarming, and they were sent home. "I believed them that they knew what they were doing," she said.

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Nina was a special girl. She loved going for walks outside, singing to her. She was truly healthy, happy, and loved.

That same evening, Nina's temperature soared above 39 degrees Celsius. Concerned, her parents returned to the hospital, facing a wait of over two hours. Marija recounted that hospital staff seemed preoccupied, with one nurse reportedly telling her father that a doctor was in labor, which could take hours. "Literally, no one paid attention to us," she stated.

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I believed them that they knew what they were doing.

Upon admission to the pediatric ward, the family's ordeal intensified. Marija described how nurses and doctors struggled for an extended period to find a vein for her daughter's IV, during which Nina weakened significantly. "They kept saying: there's no way, we can't find a vein. They didn't give her water or medicine for the fever. Nina was crying. It was horrific to watch," the parents said.

Marija pleaded for Nina to be urgently transferred to Belgrade. Anesthesiologists reportedly gave up on finding a vein. The parents claim they were told Nina would be given water. After administering an antibiotic, Nina began to scream and convulse, which the parents interpreted as a sign of her deteriorating condition, despite assurances from staff that she was improving. "I'm sickened. They convince us she's better. I'm telling them the child is dying. I say it's not good. Nobody takes anything seriously," Marija recounted.

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Literally, no one paid attention to us.

The family waited for medication, paperwork, and transport. Nina eventually stopped breathing. Doctors in Belgrade attempted resuscitation upon arrival but were unsuccessful. "How did she not survive? How, when she was healthy yesterday?" Nina's mother lamented.

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They kept saying: there's no way, we can't find a vein. They didn't give her water or medicine for the fever. Nina was crying. It was horrific to watch.