Ohio court records: Remains of fetus likely discarded

Staff/wire report

YOUNGSTOWN

Documents filed in a civil lawsuit against St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital indicate a dead fetus likely was discarded with medical waste, rather than being saved for the burial the family planned.

That’s the probable explanation referenced in recent court filings by attorneys for the hospital and the plaintiff, Lytanya Wylie of North Garland Avenue.

Her lawsuit says Wylie was pregnant with twins, and one survived, but the other died before her June 2013 delivery. The lawsuit alleging negligence suggests the remains were disposed of without her consent.

The hospital has denied Wylie’s allegations, however. Filings on its behalf indicate a pathology lab supervisor concluded the remains likely were discarded with other tissue, and that the lab hadn’t previously misplaced fetal remains.

The lawsuit is assigned to Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The suit, which was filed in February 2014, is set for a jury trial beginning Jan. 5.