Georgia Doctor Sued By Couple For Allegedly Decapitating Baby During Delivery
Excited parents-to-be, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor Sr., had their joy stolen when a Georgia doctor used excessive force, decapitating their baby during delivery on July 9, NBCNews reports. On Wednesday (Aug. 9), the couple and their attorneys publicly announced a lawsuit against Dr. Tracey St. Julian and Southern Regional Medical Center in Riverdale, Ga.
“They were so excited about the birth of their first child,” said their legal representative Cory Lynch. “Unfortunately, their dreams and hopes turned into a nightmare that was covered up by Southern Regional Medical Center.” Ross and Taylor Sr. did not give a statement at Wednesday’s news conference.
Reportedly, St. Julian delayed a Cesarean surgical procedure after the baby got stuck during delivery. Allegedly failing to seek immediate help, the doctor applied “ridiculously excessive force” on the baby’s head and neck causing decapitation, attorney and physician Roderick Edmond stated.
Per the lawsuit, it had been three hours before St. Julian decided to take the 20-year-old mom in for a C-section. According to the lawsuit, the baby’s heartbeat had stopped by then. Sadly, the baby’s legs and body were removed by C-section, as the head was delivered vaginally. Edmonds added that the couple reportedly asked for a C-section earlier to prevent any fatalities, but were denied.
Southern Regional’s staff is also being accused of attempting to cover up the decapitation. Reportedly, the staff tried to deter the young couple from getting an autopsy on the baby, and have their son cremated instead. The suit also alleges the staff offered to wrap the baby’s fragile body while placing his head on his shoulders to appear as if it was attached.
The family is now suing for gross negligence, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They’re also seeking unspecified punitive damages, according to the suit. Edmonds mentioned during the news conference that this case continues to highlight infant and maternal mortality rates among Black women.
Southern Regional Medical Center has denied all allegations against them, while stating that they could not discuss treatment for particular patients due to privacy laws. However, the facility did offer “heartfelt sympathies” to their family. “Our commitment is to provide compassionate, quality care to every single patient, and this loss is heartbreaking,” the hospital stated according to NBC.
The statement also reportedly revealed that St. Julian was not an employee of the medical facility, and the hospital had “taken the appropriate steps in response to this unfortunate situation.”
According to Premier Women’s OB/GYN’s website where St. Julian works, she is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who’s been practicing in the Atlanta area since January 2005. The website states that she has a special interest in young women’s health and prides herself on offering personalized care to her patients. St. Julian also served in the U.S. Army.
The OB/GYN office has two locations in Georgia offering circumcisions, infertility treatment, and other services in addition to low and high-risk obstetric care.
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