PARENTS of the two babies whose picture appeared in the front page of Solomon Star on Sunday have refuted the report, labelling it as incorrect and misleading.

In an interview with this paper, Grandmother of the two babies Mrs Gladys T Filoa said the two babies are well-protected and never at any time neglected or abandoned as claimed in the article.

She adds that the mother of the two babies is employed and has been supporting her babies.

Mrs Filoa said the article has caused huge embarrassment for the family of the two babies as numbers of negative comments were referred to the family since the story broke out in the media.

She said the privacy of the babies and their family have been invaded and tarnished in the public.

Explaining the time when the two babies were left alone at the hospital, Ms Filoa said the babies’ mother went home to shower, thus was not present when the Star reporters went there.

She further explained that she was moving the belongings of the two babies from the outpatient to the Children Ward on Friday.

“I did not realise that people are telling stories about my two grannies and at one stage the reporter seeks permission to get comment from me but she refused.

“My two grannies were not left alone, I was busy moving our belonging from the outpatient to the Children Ward and it takes less than five minutes,” Mrs Filoa said.

She adds that the reporter took the photo of the two babies without the parent’s concern.

Mrs Filoa questions why the reporter was unable to concentrate on his assignment with Yacht Club Members’ gift presentation to sick babies, instead took photos of the two innocent and sick babies.

“I’m also interested to know why the Organisation chose to put the photos of these innocent babies on the front page of the newspaper,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Filoa calls on the media to stop taking advantage of the helpless and innocent babies for marketing purposes.

In an interview with this paper, the reporter who wrote the article said all the statement accommodated in the article comes from a Nurse who have been looking after and treating the babies.

He told this paper that a senior nurse revealed the tip that caught his interest to further investigate the story.

The reporter said his attempt to interview and get comments from the grandmother of the two babies who was present during that time was unsuccessful as the grandmother refused on reasons only she knew.

He insists the article was not a made-up story but based on facts coming from nurses at the National Referral Hospital.