A Georgia jury has awarded $2.25 million in damages to a devastated couple after a pathologist posted graphic autopsy videos of their decapitated baby on social media without their consent.
The verdict, delivered Wednesday by a Fulton County jury according to an AP report, holds Dr. Jackson Gates liable for intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and fraud. The plaintiffs, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor Sr., had hired Gates to conduct a private autopsy after their son, Treveon Taylor Jr., was tragically decapitated during childbirth in July 2023.
While a separate lawsuit against the delivering physician and the hospital remains unresolved, the judgment against Gates marks a major step in the couple’s pursuit of accountability.
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According to a lawsuit filed in September 2023, Gates shared disturbing footage from the autopsy on Instagram, disregarding any consent from the grieving parents. Although he initially removed the content after receiving a legal notice, he reposted the videos soon after, attorneys for the couple said.
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“This young couple trusted him with the remains of their precious baby,” their attorneys stated. “Gates, in turn, repaid this trust by posting horrific images of their child for the world to see.”
Dr. Gates, through his attorney Ira Livnat, insisted there was no malice in his actions, describing his posts as part of an effort to educate fellow medical professionals and highlight the need for independent autopsies in suspected cases of medical malpractice.
“Dr. Gates testified that he is deeply sorry for any harm that he unintentionally caused the plaintiffs,” Livnat said. “Had he known for one second that they would see that and that they would know it was their child, he would never have done it.”
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Livnat also criticized the jury’s ruling, claiming, “The jury’s finding that Gates did not intend to cause harm flies in the face of the plaintiffs’ entire case.”
Still, the court issued a default judgment after Gates failed to respond promptly to the initial lawsuit, clearing the way for the jury to decide the damages.
Attorneys for the bereaved couple said the doctor’s actions “poured salt into the couple’s already deep wounds,” emphasizing the trust they placed in him during one of the most painful moments of their lives.
READ ALSO: Court finds Georgia doctor liable for posting videos of decapitated baby
