A Georgia couple, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor Sr., have filed a lawsuit against Prime Healthcare Services, operating as Southern Regional Medical Center in Riverdale, along with the attending physician and nursing staff. The couple alleges that their newborn son was decapitated during a botched delivery, and that the medical team attempted to conceal the tragic incident. The police have confirmed that they are investigating the case.
Ross and Taylor were eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child on July 9. However, the joyous occasion turned into a nightmare when they discovered that their baby did not survive the delivery. According to the lawsuit, the baby, named Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr., was decapitated during the delivery process.
The lawsuit details that the baby’s shoulders became lodged in the birth canal during delivery. Despite Ross’s efforts to push for three hours, the baby was not delivered. The couple’s legal team alleges that the obstetrician, identified as Tracey L. St. Julian, applied excessive force to the baby’s head and neck during the attempted vaginal delivery, resulting in decapitation.
The lawsuit further accuses St. Julian and the nursing staff of failing to perform a C-section in a timely manner and not seeking additional medical assistance when needed. The baby’s body was eventually delivered via C-section, with the head delivered vaginally, according to the plaintiffs.
The couple’s legal team alleges that the hospital and doctor attempted to hide the horrific incident. They claim that the couple was not informed about the decapitation until several hours after the delivery. The hospital staff allegedly misled the couple by stating that a free autopsy was not possible under the circumstances, which the plaintiffs believe was an attempt to prevent a forensic autopsy and hinder the collection of evidence.
The lawsuit also alleges that the hospital staff pressured the couple to cremate their baby to destroy evidence. Despite the couple’s requests to see and hold their baby, they were only allowed to view him. The baby was tightly wrapped in a blanket with his head placed on top of his body in a way that concealed the decapitation.
The hospital informed the couple about the decapitation on July 13, several days after the delivery and a day after Ross was discharged from the hospital. In response to the allegations, Southern Regional Medical Center stated that privacy laws and HIPAA regulations prevent them from discussing specific patient cases. They denied the allegations and clarified that St. Julian is not an employee of the hospital but a medical staff member with privileges at the hospital.