The parents of a two-year-old girl named Maya Getahun are suing a Georgia hospital following her October 2024 death. Getahun had an allergic reaction after she was bitten by fire ants in her front yard. Her parents allege that hospital staff waited too long to help her, causing her death.
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According to the Miami Herald, Getahun was rushed to the Piedmont Eastside Medical Center after she was bitten by fire antes on October 7, 2024. While having an allergic reaction, the parents' complaint alleged that the medical staff at the emergency room waited for more than 20 minutes before giving her an injection of epinephrine, which is used to treat severe allergic reactions.
This caused her condition to worsen, with the complaint detailing that the wait caused her further respiratory distress. Furthermore, the complaint alleged that there was no pediatric intubation equipment available at the Georgia hospital.
"Maya's parents looked on helplessly as their daughter slowly died from lack of oxygen," the complaint detailed. Eventually, Maya Getahun died in the emergency room.
Lawsuit
Months after their daughter's death, Maya's parents filed a complaint in Gwinnett County on April 4. The lawsuit, as per the outlet, names the hospital, Piedmont Healthcare, the hospital's parent company, the doctor, and 10 other unnamed parties.
The parents' attorney, Lloyd Bell, has claimed that if treated properly, Maya Getahun would still be alive and well.
"Maya literally suffocated in front of her parents as the nurses opened drawers in the ER searching for a child-sized breathing tube," Bell told Miami Herald. "With proper care, Maya would still be alive and well."
According to the Daily Mail, Maya's physician, Dr. Richisa Salazar, has previously been named in past lawsuits. She was accused of medical malpractice in a 2023 lawsuit in connection with the 2021 death of 53-year-old Waymon Storey.
Reportedly, Storey was involved in a crash in 2021 but suffered non-life-threatening injuries. He arrived at the Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center with difficulty breathing. Allegedly, Salazar failed to provide assisted ventilation as she didn't think Storey needed the treatment. Storey died following a hypoxic arrest. The case is currently awaiting trial.
"This case is about accountability," Bell said in connection with Maya's death. "No family should ever experience the heartbreak of losing a child due to a hospital's lack of preparation, especially for something as foreseeable as an allergic reaction. Our goal is to obtain full justice for Maya and help ensure that what happened to Maya never happens to another child."
