On behalf of Hastings Law Firm posted in Birth Injuries on Monday, January 6, 2014.

The months leading up to the birth of a child may be the most exciting time of life for some expecting parents. However, one Texas couple allege that labor took a tragic turn when the delivering doctor did not follow proper procedures. The couple claims that, due to the resulting birth injuries, they lost their child at only five days old.

The 24-year-old soon-to-be mother was already past her due date when she went to the hospital to be induced. A petite woman standing under 5 feet tall and weighing less than 100 pounds, she claims that, even then, she knew that her baby was simply too big for her small frame. According to the engaged couple, their concerns were ignored by the obstetrician. The baby’s grandmother was present during labor and reports that the laboring mother was running a high fever while the baby’s heart rate raced out of control.

As hours ticked by, the time to push finally came, but the baby had not even moved into the birth canal. When it was clear that the baby was presenting face up instead of down, which is the norm, the doctor apparently exercised what the couple alleges was improper use of the forceps after a failed attempt to turn the child manually. It was that final step, a wrong choice in a series that they claim the doctor made, that caused serious and irreversible damage. After an emergency caesarean section, the baby girl was rushed to a different hospital’s NICU, but there was nothing to be done. The NICU reported that the girl’s skull was fractured in several places, and she was unable to breathe on her own.

At only five days old, the young parents were forced to make the grueling decision to remove their daughter from life support. They allege that they would have never been faced with this choice if the doctor had not ignored their concerns or what they say were red flags during labor. These Texas parents, who are likely facing mounting grief in the wake of what they claim was their daughter’s unnecessary death, plan to sue the delivering doctor who they allege caused their daughter’s fatal birth injuries. Those in a similar situation may wish to do the same.

Source: abcnews.go.com, Texas Family Alleges Forceps Delivery Crushed Baby’s Skull, Caused Death, Susan Donaldson, Jan. 3, 2014