The parents of a child who died of hospital-acquired infection are suing the hospital claiming the hospital’s medical malpractice caused the child’s infection and eventual death.
Lucina Marin delivered her son, Sibraim prematurely on Nov. 17, 2006. Less than a month later the child died from a virulent bacterial infection. He was the second infant believed to have died from an outbreak of pseudomonas aeruginosa in the hospital.
The outbreak forced the hospital to close its neonatal intensive care unit temporarily when they discovered five infants had been infected.
The Lawsuit
The David and Lucina Marin have announced that they were filing a wrongful-death lawsuit against White Memorial, alleging negligence and claiming that the hospital failed to inform them about the bacterial outbreak in a timely manner.
“It was human error,” said David Marin. “We just want the hospital to take full responsibility for what they’ve done. […] We are Heartbroken.”
The couple hopes their lawsuit will help put pressure on the hospital to ensure that the same thing doesn’t happen to other families in the future.
The Investigation
An investigation by county health officials discovered that the hospital had changed its laryngoscope blade cleaning procedures. These devices are used to help insert breathing tubes. The investigation found a blade that contained the bacteria despite the fact that it had been cleaned.
More investigation revealed that the bacteria were present in sinks and faucets in the neonatal intensive care unit.
According to the county report, until recently, the hospital sent their laryngoscope blades for high-level disinfection as the manufacturer suggests.
The hospital refused to comment on their switch to cleaning the devices themselves.
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