A devastated father has joined thousands of parents in calling for justice after his dead baby's brain was removed without permission.

Phillip and Kathleen Alder said doctors took their son's organs after he died when he was just ten days old.

Surgeons unsuccessfully carried out an operation to mend holes in baby Craig's heart at Southampton General Hospital 12 years ago.

But the Alders only discovered Craig's major organs had been removed without their authorisation nearly a decade afterwards.

Now, together with about 2,000 other parents, they are considering suing the health trust responsible.

Mr Alder, 45, of Hankin Avenue, Dovercourt, said: "Because Craig died within 24 hours of surgery, we were told it was a legal requirement to carry out a post-mortem examination and that his organs were not allowed to be used for transplant.

"We went to see Craig. He was covered up and we could see where the hairline had been stitched-up, and we naturally assumed he had just been put back together after they had examined his brain.

"We buried him and thought 'That is it'".

Mr Alder and his wife, who cannot have any more children, moved to Dovercourt but became suspicious when the NHS announced more investigations following the Alder Hey scandal in Liverpool.

Parts of baby Craig which had been removed, including his heart, were returned and buried, but the hospital had already cremated his brain.

Published Thursday January 22, 2004

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