Brooklyn Mom Vows To Continue Fight Against Hospital In Alleged Breastfeeding Mix-Up
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- The mother of an infant allegedly nursed by the wrong mother is vowing to keep fighting in court to hold the hospital accountable.
Jayln Williams is a healthy 3-year-old, but her mother, Lynda, wasn't always so sure she would be when she was born at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn in 2008.
Williams said that on one occasion, nurses switched Jayln with another baby and that a different mother breastfed the girl. When nurses told her about the mistake, she was furious and scared.
"I was in tears for many days and many nights," she told CBS 2's Kristin Thorne.
Williams said she had many questions for the hospital, including "did she smoke? Did she drink? Does she have any disease? Can you tell me anything about her? Who is she? Can I meet her? And the answer to all these questions was 'no we have to protect her privacy.'"
Williams sued the hospital for negligence and won. However, the hospital appealed the ruling and last week, the state Supreme Court decided the hospital was not at fault.
A copy of the court's written decision specifically states that the hospital did "not have a duty to take care of Lynda Williams or her baby."
"They're saying that you could be pregnant, come into our hospital and we can give your baby away and we're not going to be responsible. You want to know that the hospital that you're going to is going to take care of your baby," Williams said.
"There's nothing now to prevent the hospital from delivering the wrong child either to the wrong mother or feeding or even for discharge home," Williams' Attorney, Lisa Pashkoff, said.
Hospital officials wouldn't speak on camera but, in a written statement said the following:
"Long Island College Hospital was very pleased the Court of Appeals unanimously ruled in our favor and dismissed the action against us."
Williams said she wants the hospital to admit they made a mistake and do so publicly. She vowed to continue fighting the case in the courts to prove a point.
SOUND-OFF: Do you believe the hospital was guilty of negligence? Agree with the Court of Appeals' decision? Let us know in the comments section below...
