CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The mother of a baby who was decapitated during delivery broke down in tears as lawyers held a news conference Wednesday and described his injuries.
The news conference followed the announcement Tuesday that the baby’s death has been ruled a homicide.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln was in the room when the baby’s emotional father, Treveon Isaiah Taylor, addressed reporters.
“We just want justice for our son. They lied to us. They wouldn’t let us touch him. We didn’t like it,” Taylor said. “We just want justice for our son.”
Jessica Ross, 20, went into labor with her son, Treveon Isaiah Taylor, Jr. on July 9, 2022, at Southern Regional Medical Center in Clayton County.
According to a lawsuit, the baby became stuck about 10 hours into Ross’ labor and was eventually decapitated when the family’s doctor attempted for hours to pull him out.
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The family is suing the doctor who delivered the baby, Tracey St. Julian, her OBGYN practice, the nurses and doctors involved in the birth and the hospital, citing medical negligence and the wrongful death of the baby.
The lawsuit claims doctors “pulled on the baby’s head and neck so hard and manipulated them so hard, that the bones in the baby’s skull, head and neck were broken.”
The hospital initially claimed that the baby died due to complications of shoulder dystocia, which is when the baby’s shoulders get stuck in the birth canal.
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But according to an extensive report from the Clayton County Medical Examiner’s Office, the baby’s death was caused by the “fracture-dislocation” of his upper cervical spine and spinal cord.
“The cause of the death again was the baby’s neck was broken while Dr. St. Julian applied excessive pressure on the baby’s neck in the face of the shoulder dystocia,” lawyers said Wednesday.
Attorney’s Roderick Edmond and Cory Lynch say they’re determined to find out what happened inside a delivery room at the Southern Regional Medical Center.
“I owe it to them to find out what the hell happened,” Edmond said. “It’s a bombshell. Really, it is. this isn’t just about money, this young couple went trusting in the healthcare system.”
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Edmond said that during shoulder dystocia, there are various maneuvers doctors are supposed to perform to free the baby that they say St. Julian and others involved in the delivery did not perform. If those maneuvers don’t work, the standard protocol is to move to a C-section.
Channel 2 Action News had previously reported on the allegations that St. Julian and the medical staff tried covering up the decapitation by lying to the parents and pressuring the family to cremate the newborn.
“They trusted their doctor, they liked their doctor, they liked the hospital,” Edmond said. “And to be subject to the tragedy they were subjected to, then to double down on the lies and the deceit, they were devastated”
Edmond said Ross Taylor asked to see and hold their son after his death and were told that they were not allowed to.
“It is normal, natural, proper and right for parents, after the baby is deceased to say, ‘I want to see my baby. I want to hold my baby. I want to touch the baby’s fingers,’... And they wanted that also,” the family’s lawyer said. “The staff of Southern Regional Medical Center lied and said, ‘You can not touch your baby.’”
When Ross and Taylor didn’t accept that response, the hospital arranged for them to see the baby through a glass window and propped his head up on his body, according to lawyers.
According to lawyers, they also requested a county-provided autopsy but were told the free service wasn’t available to them. Lawyers argued that was meant to push the couple toward cremation to cover up the evidence.
The hospital then surpassed the medical examiner’s office and sent the baby straight to the funeral home, Edmond said.
The funeral home ended up alerting the parents to the baby’s condition and suggested they alert the medical examiner’s office.
The family’s attorneys say the hospital is evading presenting evidence in the civil lawsuit filed against the hospital.
“We haven’t taken one deposition in this case, even though we filed it back in August,” said Edmond.
St. Julian’s medical license has not been revoked. She’s still allowed to practice even at Southern Regional. The State Composite Medical Board is currently investigating if St. Julian violated state regulations.
Officials with Southern Regional Medical Center issued a statement saying that “this unfortunate infant death occurred in utero prior to the delivery and decapitation,” and said that the doctor who delivered the baby, Tracey St. Julian is not “and never has been” an employee of the hospital.
“We would hope that they would evaluate their policies and procedures so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else ever again,” said Attorney Corey Lync.
The family is also suing the independent pathologist they hired to conduct an independent autopsy. This doctor posted pictures of the autopsy on Instagram. Attorneys say the doctor has not responded to that law suit.
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