The hospital records show that the preoperative diagnosis was “delivery outside the hospital, retained placenta and perineal tear.”115 53. The emergency record for the day Manuela was admitted to the San Francisco Gotera Hospital, notes that she was admitted due to abortion. 116 This document states that it reproduces a verbatim quote from Manuela indicating: “I don’t know if it fell to the floor or if the umbilical cord broke, or if my mother cut it. My sister says that my mother cut the cord and buried the baby; my sister told me that the baby was born dead.” It also recorded that the patient was uncooperative when she was questioned and that she was advised that the prosecution service would be notified.117 54. At 7 p.m. on February 27, 2008, the “complete calcified placenta” was extracted from Manuela, a curettage was performed, and her “perineal tear” was sutured.”118 55. In the report that the hospital sent to the prosecution service, the medical staff noted, among other matters, that Manuela had “high blood pressure” and that she had lost around “300 [cubic centimeters]” of blood, so that a blood transfusion was recommended. 119 It was concluded that: This is a case of patient who gave birth outside a hospital apparently to a premature infant, although the placenta showed signs of maturity; she also had high blood pressure and an important loss of blood so that she was classified with severe postpartum preeclampsia plus anemia owing to loss of blood.120 56. The report does not mention the lumps on Manuela’s neck. F. The criminal prosecution of Manuela 57. On February 27, 2008, the physician who had treated the presumed victim filed a complaint against Manuela with the Complaint Reception Unit, Subregional Prosecution Service of Morazán, and this initiated the criminal proceedings that are described below. 121 58. On February 28, 2008, the police questioned the physician concerning her report. In her statement, she indicated the reasons why she alerted the prosecution service to Manuela’s situation: The information provided by the patient did not match the clinical picture, because the patient was treated for abortion and, when examining her […] about 40 centimeters of the umbilical cord could be observed, which was cut cleanly, and also a perineal tear […]; the patient’s calcified placenta was observed, and this corresponded to nine months.122 Record of evolution following anesthesia of the San Francisco Gotera National Hospital of February 27, 2008 (evidence file, folio 2), and record of admittance and departure (evidence file, folio 17). 115 116 Cf. Emergency record of February 27, 2008 (evidence file, folio 16). 117 Cf. Emergency record of February 27, 2008 (evidence file, folio 16). Communication issued by the director of the San Francisco Gotera National Hospital on February 29, 2008 (evidence file, folio 58). 118 Communication issued by the director of the San Francisco Gotera National Hospital on February 29, 2008 (evidence file, folio 58). 119 Communication issued by the director of the San Francisco Gotera National Hospital on February 29, 2008 (evidence file, folio 59). 120 121 Note addressed to the prosecution service dated February 27, 2008 (evidence file, folio 22). 122 Record of interview of the treating physician of February 28, 2008 (evidence file, folios 24 and 25). 22