A Denver family is looking for answers after their newborn daughter who was born via an emergency caesarian section was cut in the face during the surgical procedure and was left needing 13 stitches to close the wound. The incident occurred at Denver Health last week, FOX31 reported.
And in an interview with the news outlet, the parents of little Kyanni Williams said they were initially expecting their daughter to be delivered naturally but medical officials at Denver Health rushed the expectant mother to the theater for a C-section following an emergency.
“They gave me a pill to speed up my labor and a few minutes after that I was being rushed into an emergency C-section,” Kyanni’s mother, Reazjhana Williams, said, adding: “They said our baby made a sudden movement they couldn’t hear her heartbeat or find it and they took her into an immediate C-section.”
However, what was supposed to be an exciting and memorable day turned into a heartbreaking one after little Kyanni sustained a facial injury during the procedure and had to be referred to a plastic surgeon. The cut to the baby’s face left her in need of 13 stitches. “They said her face was close to the placenta wall,” Kyanni’s father, Damarqus Williams, said.
Reazjhana also said that though she tried to be level-headed in the aftermath of the incident, she’s still trying to understand the circumstances surrounding the injury.
“I tried to be understanding about what happened, but on top of the fact her face got cut and a plastic surgeon had to come do it, there’s just a lot of things I’m not understanding with the C-section,” she said. “I’ve never heard of anybody having to deal with their baby’s face looking like this after a C-section.”
Advance Practice Nurse Lisa Merck who spoke to FOX31 said these kinds of incidents rarely happen. “I’ve done over probably 2,500 deliveries and I assisted on C-sections, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Merck said. “That is kind of one of the things that can happen, but it is really, really rare.”
Meanwhile, the baby’s grandmother wants the hospital to be held accountable for their actions. “I don’t think that’s right,” Tashaira Williams said.
“To have your granddaughter born to come out to see the plastic surgeon, to get 13 stitches, is devastating, it’s heartbreaking,” the baby’s grandfather also told the news outlet. Damarqus added that the situation is “upsetting” and Kyanni is currently “not comfortable.”
Responding to the incident, Denver Health sent a statement to FOX31 saying: “Denver Health has been in touch with the family directly. While this is a known medical complication in emergency C-sections, our focus is always on providing care in the best interest of the mother and child. At Denver Health, the safety and well-being of our patients is our number one priority.”
As of Tuesday, Denver Health had not gotten in touch with the family, Damarqus told FOX31. A GoFundMe has also been set up to help raise funds for the family.