Parents accuse Snellville hospital of negligence after daughter dies from severe allergic reaction
Parents file lawsuit after toddler's death
A two-year-old girl dies after an allergic reaction to ant bites. Her parents are suing the hospital where she died. They say if hospital staff acted more quickly, their little girl could still be here today.
SNELLVILLE, Ga. - The parents of a 2-year-old girl who died after an allergic reaction are suing a Gwinnett County hospital.
The family claims emergency room staff waited too long to administer life-saving treatment.
SEE ALSO: Parents sue Gwinnett hospital after daughter dies from allergic reaction
What we know:
According to a 48-page lawsuit filed on April 4, Maya Getahun was rushed her to the ER at Piedmont Eastside Medical Center in Snellville last October after suffering multiple fire ant bites.
An affidavit states medical staff immediately determined the child, who was struggling to breathe, was having a severe allergic reaction.
The lawsuit goes on to say medical staff waited more than 20 minutes from the time the child was brought into the ER to give her epinephrine—which is used to treat severe allergic reactions.
The complaint goes on to say when a doctor tried to intubate Maya, staff members realized the ER didn’t have the right size equipment for a patient her age—causing further delay that resulted in the toddler’s death.
What they're saying:
For Bethelhem Hundie and her husband, Monday marked the six-month anniversary of their baby girl’s death.
In that time, the grieving mother tells FOX 5 she is still re-living the moments she watched Piedmont Eastside Medical Center staff struggle to get her toddler the treatment she needed after accidentally stepping into an ant pile.
"She turned red, and she was itching and had some swelling and she was having a little difficulty breathing," she recalled.
Hundie believes Maya’s death could’ve been prevented if staffers had taken more swift action.
"There are so many things that went on, so many things that could’ve been avoided," she stated. "The healthcare professionals that were there that day need to be held accountable for how carelessly they handled Maya’s treatment."
While her attorney Lloyd Bell says newly passed legislation to curb civil lawsuits against large entities like insurance companies and hospitals in Georgia will make it a greater challenge, they plan to fight.
"We are absolutely committed to number one getting full justice for Maya," Bell told FOX 5.
The couple is now seeking monetary damages and a jury trial in the civil case.
The other side:
FOX 5 has reached out to Piedmont Eastside Medical Center for comment in response to this lawsuit, but has yet to hear back.
The Source: Information reported in this story came from a lawsuit filed in Gwinnett County. This is an original report by FOX 5’s Joi Dukes.