A Georgia family is suing a local hospital, claiming their two-year-old daughter’s death from an allergic reaction to ant bites could have been prevented.
On October 7, toddler Maya Getahun was playing in her front yard when fire ants bit her, triggering an allergic reaction to ant bites, according to a lawsuit filed last week.
Her parents, Bethelhem Getu Hundie and Getahun Birhanu, rushed her to Piedmont Eastside Medical Center in Snellville, Georgia. By the time they arrived, Maya had a rash, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.
The lawsuit alleges hospital staff waited more than 20 minutes before giving Maya epinephrine—the medication found in an EpiPen used to treat severe allergic reactions.
It also claims that despite Maya’s blood oxygen saturation being at 97 percent, the medical team decided to intubate her.
Dr. Richisa Salazar, named as a defendant, reportedly gave Maya drugs to paralyze her in preparation for intubation. But afterward, Salazar allegedly discovered the hospital didn’t have child-sized equipment necessary for the procedure.
Maya died shortly after. Her parents and their legal team argue that her death was entirely avoidable.
“If only the hospital staff had promptly administered epinephrine, Maya would still be alive,” said Lloyd Bell, the family’s attorney. “If only the hospital had the proper equipment to intubate a child, Maya would still be alive.”
Bell called the hospital’s actions “not only negligent but inexcusable.”
The Piedmont Eastside Medical Center, according to the lawsuit, failed Maya with delayed treatment and inadequate resources. Bell added that Salazar has previously been named in two other malpractice lawsuits filed by his firm.
Maya’s family is now pursuing a jury trial and seeking damages for pain, suffering, and funeral expenses.
“This case is about accountability,” Bell said. “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.”
