ATLANTA — Editor's note: Some of the allegations mentioned in this report from the lawsuit are graphic.
A metro Atlanta hospital is issuing a drastic response following a shocking lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of a couple who claim their baby was "decapitated," and died during birth.
During a press conference on Wednesday, counsel for Jessica Ross and her boyfriend Treveon Isaiah Taylor, Sr., claimed the death could have been avoided if different procedures were followed. The couple is filing a medical malpractice and wrongful death suit.
While the hospital in question, Southern Regional Medical Center, released two separate statements following the couple's lawsuit, a third one released on Thursday is providing a dramatically different version of events. It also sees the hospital distancing itself from the doctor at the center of the lawsuit, claiming she "is not and never has been an employee of the hospital."
However, after further questioning, the hospital did confirm with 11Alive that the doctor, while not an employee, "did have privileges at Southern Regional Medical Center when the incident took place."
Southern Regional Medical Center now argues that "this unfortunate infant death occurred in utero prior to the delivery and decapitation."
However, the lawsuit alleges there were complications during the labor and attorneys claim the doctor applied “ridiculously excessive force” on the baby’s head and neck to try to deliver it, attorney Roderick Edmond, who is also a physician, said. Around three hours passed before the doctor took 20-year-old Ross for a C-section, legal documents said.
"The feet came out, the body came out and there was no head," Edmond said.
The attorneys stated Wednesday that "...we have the failure of Dr. [redacted] to immediately inform the couple about the decapitation once she spoke with them after the procedure. We also have misrepresentation and fraud on the part of other health care providers who lied to this couple and told them their situation did not warrant a free autopsy provided by the county or state."
The hospital is also countering the couple's claim that it attempted to hide information of the incident, instead saying it "voluntarily reported the death to the Clayton County Medical Examiner's office and is cooperating with all investigations."
The Clayton County Police Department said it opened an investigation into the infant's death on July 13, the same day it was reported to the medical examiner's office. Thursday, the medical examiner's office did release a statement saying it was notified by the funeral home of the infant's death on that day. (Read more here.)
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner’s Office has performed an autopsy on the baby. The investigation is ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Full statement from Southern Regional Medical Center
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. [REDACTED] 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.