Cyberattack Crippled Hospital, Led to Baby’s Death, Lawsuit Claims

Cyberattacks may affect more than organizations’ pocketbooks. They can also hinder a hospital’s care during a crucial moment, a lawsuit filed in Mobile, Alabama, claims.

The mother of a child who was born during the midst of a 2019 cyberattack argues that Springhill Hospital and a physician failed to notify her about the severity of the cyberattack or that it had crippled electronic systems. That meant the doctor could not properly monitor the child’s condition, according to the lawsuit, which was reported by the Associated Press and the Wall Street Journal.

The child, Nicko Silar, developed severe brain injuries and died after months of intensive care. The mother, Teiranni Kidd, said she would have had the delivery at another hospital had she known of the computer systems shut down, the complaint reads.

The hospital has blamed the physician, Dr. Katelyn Braswell Parnell, saying she “was fully aware of the inaccessibility of the relevant systems, including those in the labor and delivery unit, and yet determined that (Kidd) could safely deliver her at Springhill.” Under Alabama law, the hospital did not have any legal duty to provide Kidd with details of the cyberattack, the hospital argued.

Parnell and her medical group, Bay Area Physicians for Women, denied doing anything that harmed the child.

Springhill Hospital released a public statement about the cyberattack the day before the child was born, saying staff “has continued to safely care for our patients and will continue to provide the high quality of service that our patients deserve and expect,” a local TV station reported at the time.

It was not reported what type of cyber insurance the hospital had, or who the carrier is.