A jury has awarded a Georgia couple $2.25 million after the autopsy video of their decapitated baby was posted online by a pathologist.
The parents of the child were identified as Treveon Taylor and Jessica Ross, and the money will be split into two, $2 million in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages against the pathologist who posted the video on social media.
Parents of Decapitated Baby Awarded $2.25 Million
The suspect in the case was identified as Dr. Jackson Gates, who works with Medical Diagnostic Choices in Atlanta. The baby's parents filed a lawsuit against the latter in September 2023 for alleged invasion of privacy, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In a statement, the family's attorneys praised the jury for punishing Gates for his "reprehensible behavior," adding that nothing can ease the parents' pain that they experienced when they lost their child in a "horrific way."
Following the ruling, Gates did not respond to requests for comments regarding the case. The matter comes as the baby was already dead during birth on July 20, 2023. It was noted that on July 12 that year, Ross contracted Gates to conduct an autopsy for $2,500, according to NBC News.
However, the pathologist later uploaded several videos to his Instagram account that showed "in graphic and grisly detail a postmortem examination of the decapitated, severed head of Baby Isaiah" as well as the child's body.
Posting Autopsy Videos Online
At the time, the medical professional's social media account showed a history of posting various photos and videos of other autopsies. Since then, the account has been taken down, as well as at least one account on YouTube.
In March 2024, Gates said that he did not violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) because the law allows physicians to inform the public about safety concerns in healthcare, People reported.
He added that HIPAA did not require physicians to get consent to report a crime or some sort of health issue to the public. He added that he has been doing so for the past 15 years, where he publishes his autopsy cases to explain to the public the victimization of those people who have lost their lives.
During childbirth, the lawsuit alleges that the delivery of the baby was also filled with complications, with attorneys claiming the doctor applied "ridiculously excessive force" on the baby's head and neck in an attempt to deliver it, as per 11Alive.
