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**TRIGGER WARNING: This story is graphic in nature**
Two young parents-to-be ended are exposing a horrific and unimaginable nightmare after their child was decapitated in the womb, and now the hospital where it happened is denying any wrongdoing and distancing itself from the doctor accused of botching the delivery.
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According to the Associated Press, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor Sr. filed a lawsuit against Dr. Tracey St. Julian and Southern Regional Medical Center, a hospital in Riverdale, Georgia, where the couple went on July 9 to have their son, Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr.
The lawsuit states that during labor, the baby became stuck due to shoulder dystocia and St. Julian tried for hours to deliver the child vaginally. According to attorney Roderick Edmond, who is also a physician, the doctor applied “ridiculously excessive force” on the baby’s head and neck during the failed attempt.
If all that wasn’t egregious enough, the suit accuses St. Julian and the hospital of trying to cover it all up by failing to inform the parents about what happened, encouraging them not to investigate any further, and staging the child’s body to look like his head was still attached.
Fox 5 Atlanta reports that shortly before midnight, the decision was made to perform a Cesarean section, and the infant’s body was delivered–but the head was delivered vaginally.
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 have their son cremated instead of being sent to a funeral home seemingly as a way to cover up what happened.
When Ross and Taylor demanded to see and hold their child, the baby was reportedly tightly wrapped in a blanket with his head “propped on top of his body” to conceal the fact that he was decapitated, adds Fox 5.
AP reported that Kimberly Golden-Benner, a spokeswoman for Southern Regional, identified St. Julian as a member of a healthcare group called Premier Women’s OBGYN, but emphasized that she is not an employee of the hospital.
Here’s the hospital’s full 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.
“As our deepest sympathies remain with the family, Southern Regional Medical Center denies the allegations of wrongdoing in the Complaint referencing the hospital. Due to patient privacy laws and HIPAA, we are unable to discuss the care and treatment of specific patients, but we can state this unfortunate infant death occurred in utero prior to the delivery and decapitation. The hospital voluntarily reported the death to the Clayton County Medical Examiner’s office and is cooperating with all investigations. Since this matter is in litigation, we cannot provide additional statements.
“Dr. St Julian is not and never has been an employee of the hospital.
“Our commitment is to provide compassionate, quality care to every single patient, and this loss is heartbreaking for all involved.”
So, basically, HIPAA won’t allow the hospital to discuss any details about the “care” provided to Ross, Taylor, and their son, except for the part that allegedly absolves the hospital of any responsibility. Got it.
According to the attorneys representing the family, Ross, and Taylor were ultimately told about the decapitation by the funeral home, not the hospital or the doctor who delivered the baby. Meanwhile, the Clayton County Police Department confirmed on Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into the infant’s death.
