The final autopsy report of the infant who died shortly after a forcep-assisted delivery was released today.
Olivia Marie Coats was removed from life support on Jan. 1 at Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston, four days after her birth. Olivia's parents blame the use of forceps for her death.
Autopsy results confirm the infant's cause of death was a result of trauma and fractures to the skull. Results also revealed that "Baby Olivia" had a stroke before she died and that her vertebrae was shifted.
The infant's mother, Rachel Melancon, said the autopsy results reinforces her belief that Dr. George Backardjiev of Southeast Texas Women's Health, who used forceps in the delivery, is to blame.
Melancon said it was another struggle just to get that final autopsy report.
"In these three or four months I've called persistently about the autopsy just to find something out," she said.
Melancon said after spending the night waiting to get answers at Memorial Hermann she was told the final autopsy could not be completed because the doctor overseeing it was out of the country. She said received a copy of the preliminary report and noticed it had been completed on Jan. 3, two days after baby Olivia died, and she was never contacted.
"It breaks my heart that it could have been sitting there because Olivia was the rest of our lives," she said.
The hospital eventually signed off on the final report and a spokesperson for Memorial Hermann admitted that a clerical error on their part was to blame.
Melancon said now that they have the final autopsy, they plan to move forward with a lawsuit against Dr. Backardjiev, who delivered Olivia.
She said they also plan to move forward with their effort to enact "Olivia's Law," banning the use of forceps.
