The special administrator of a deceased infant's estate has filed a suit against a children's hospital and a university, alleging doctors did not properly teach the child's parents how to monitor a child with a tracheotomy, leading to her death.
Brittany Smith says doctors at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and St. Louis University failed to appropriately educate Alexus J. Smith's parents on how to monitor an infant with a tracheotomy and failed to provide the parents with monitoring or nursing assistance.
As a result, Alexus J. Smith died on June 6, 2007, according to the complaint filed May 28 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
Alexus J. Smith's death caused her next-of-kin grief, sorrow and permanent injuries, the suit states. They have been deprived of her services, companionship, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel, training, love and support, the complaint says.
In the two-count suit, Brittany Smith is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.
She will be represented by Joseph A. Bartholomew of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer and Shevlin in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-281.
Parents claim doctors didn't provide adequate tracheotomy instruction
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