Mother’s Medical Negligence Leads to Baby’s Death

In a shocking case of negligence, a young woman is suing a Nevada hospital for medical malpractice after she claims they failed to treat her and sent her home where she later delivered a premature baby that died.

According to the lawsuit, Roshunda Abney and her boyfriend, Raffinee Dewberry, went to the emergency room at University Medical Center because Abney was experiencing severe abdominal pain.  She didn’t know at the time that she was pregnant.  Abney and her boyfriend were forced to wait for six hours with no treatment, while she was begging to be seen.  Other patients also waiting were pleading with staff to help her, some even offering to let her go ahead of them.

After six hours with no assistance, the couple left UMC and went to nearby Valley Hospital instead, hoping for speedier medical attention.  Abney alleges that they were told by Valley employees not to expect faster service there.

The couple after having spent nearly the entire day waiting for medical treatment, finally gave up and went home.  Shortly thereafter, Abney delivered a premature baby girl in the bathroom, who was transported to UMC where she was pronounced dead.  She weighed only 1 pound 6 ounces.

In response to the incident, UMC has suspended six employees and is in the process of termination proceedings.  Valley Hospital, on the other hand, is denying any wrongdoing.

Medical negligence doesn’t only happen in the doctor’s office.  It can happen anywhere, including hospital emergency rooms.  And hospital malpractice can have a much graver outcome than other forms of negligence.  A medical lawyer can help determine whether hospital malpractice occurred and how to proceed if it did.