RIGA, Sept 21 (LETA) - Police on Saturday detained the parents of two children with diphtheria for removing them from the Children's Hospital, while the children have been taken to the hospital, the State Police (VP) said.

The VP explains that the police received a complaint from the hospital that on Friday, September 20, a woman removed her two children, who had diphtheria and complications, from the hospital against doctors' instructions and ordered them to undergo compulsory hospital treatment.

In connection with the incident, the police have initiated criminal proceedings under the Criminal Code for deliberately leaving unattended a person who is in a condition dangerous to life or health and who is unable to save himself or herself because of infancy, age, illness or his or her own incapacity, if the perpetrator had the opportunity to provide assistance to the victim and had the duty to take care of him or her or the perpetrator himself or herself placed him or her in a life-threatening situation.

On Saturday morning, the police managed to locate the children. The Custody Court was notified of the incident and as a result of the parents' action revoked the parents' custody rights.

The children have now been taken to hospital and both parents have been detained.

The parents are currently detained for up to 48 hours and are being held in an isolation cell, the VP told LETA. After that, a decision will be taken on security measures.