A doctor used too much force and decapitated a Georgia woman’s baby during delivery, according to a lawsuit that was filed last week.
On Wednesday, attorneys representing the baby’s parents Jessica Ross and her boyfriend, Treveon Taylor, described what happened during the delivery of the couple’s son at Southern Regional Medical Center on July 9. According to the attorneys, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Ross was fully dilated and instructed to begin pushing. The complaint says the baby stopped descending due to shoulder dystocia while being delivered vaginally. Dr. Tracey St. Julian, M.D., reportedly attempted to deliver the baby vaginally using different methods, including applying traction to the baby’s head. The medical staff then proceeded to conduct a c-section.
“When the womb was opened, the feet came out, the body came out, and there was no head,” said Dr. Roderick Edmond, one of the couple’s lawyers. “Dr. St. Julian came in, and she, in the process of trying to deliver the baby, pulled on the baby’s head and neck so hard, and manipulated them so hard, that the bones of the baby’s skull, face, and neck were broken.” He said, “When they wrapped this baby up tightly, they propped the baby’s head up on top of the blanket to make it appear that the baby’s head was attached, when it wasn’t.”
The couple is now suing Dr. Tracey St. Julian, along with the hospital and several nurses involved in the delivery. They are being accused of gross negligence and covering up what happened.
The hospital has released the following statement: “Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those impacted by this tragic event. Our prayers also remain with the dedicated team of physicians, nurses and staff at Southern Regional Medical Center who cared for this patient. While our sympathies go out to the family, Southern Regional Medical Center denies the allegations in the Complaint referencing the hospital. Since this matter is in litigation, we cannot provide additional statements. As far as Dr. St Julian, she is not an employee of the hospital. The hospital has taken the appropriate steps in response to this unfortunate situation.”
The lawsuit claims that Dr. St. Julian did not tell Ross and her family about the decapitation when she spoke to them at approximately 5 a.m. July 10. The lawsuit also claims that the hospital discouraged Ross and the baby’s father, Treveon Taylor Sr., from seeking an autopsy, saying a free autopsy was not an option for them under the circumstances. Instead, they reportedly encouraged the couple to cremate their son instead of being sent to a funeral home.
According to the family’s lawyer, the family was ultimately told about the decapitation by the funeral home. The complaint asks Ross and Taylor to be compensated for the suffering and death of the child and the “tremendous mental and physical anguish and trauma” experienced by Ross, who was awake while the doctor was attempting to remove the baby.
The complaint also seeks to recover damages for the full value of the baby’s life, including loss of earnings and enjoyment of life.
