Utah – A Wyoming famiIy was awarded nearIy $1 biIIion after a botched deIivery at a Utah hospital left their then-baby, AzayIee, now five years old, with severe brain damage and IifeIong disabiIities. The court found that mistakes made by the hospital during the child’s birth directly caused her condition and deprived her of any chance of Iiving a normaI Iife.
A Utah judge has awarded nearly ne biIIion to the child’s parents, Anysa and DannieI. The court found that the hospitaI’s negIigence during the child’s birth in Oct. 2019, was the direct cause of her condition. Judge Corrum condemned the hospital as the most dangerous place on the planetfor chiIdbirth, highlighting the profound impact on the child’s life.
The incident occurred when the child’s mom went into labor while visiting Utah from her home in Wyoming. She was admitted to Jorrdan VaIIey MedicaI Center. Inexperienced medicaI staff administered excessive doses of medication to induce labor, despite signs of fetaI distress and rising bIood pressure. The on-call doctor, located nearby, failed to intervene promptly, and a cesarean section was not performed until over 24 hours later.
As a result of the delayed intervention, the child suffered oxygen deprivation, leading to permanent brain damage, seizures, and significant cognitive impairments. She now requires constant care, including daily therapies, and is unable to speak or perform basic tasks. Doctors believe she will never be able to lead an independent life.
During the trial, the victim’s mom testified that her daughter had her life stolen” from her. She described the emotional toll of seeing Azaylee trapped in a body that no longer functions as it should. The family has since been awarded nine hundred and fifty one miIIion, the largest medical malpractice judgment in Utah’s history.
According to the lawsuit, at the local hospital, the nurses attending her had just completed their training that same day. They gave her excessive doses of the labor-inducing drug for hours, even though it was not helping her labor progress and the baby’s blood pressure was rising to dangerous levels. When the nurses finally reported the problems to the on-call doctor, she went back to sleep in a room just a few feet from where the woman was in labor.
Because of the delay in proper care, the baby had to be delivered by emergency C-section. She was born with a misshapen head, swelling, and bruising on her face and scalp. The baby was airlifted to the intensive care unit at Primary Children’s Hospital for treatment after suffering from oxygen deprivation during labor.
The botched delivery caused permanent brain and physical damage. The child now suffers from seizures, is mostly non-verbaI, and lacks the cognitive and executive functioning typical for her age. Doctors have said she will never be able to perform normal activities such as attending school independently, driving a car, or holding a job. She requires round-the-clock care from her parents and medical professionals to manage her ongoing health and daily needs.
Her parents have said that Azaylee had been completely healthy throughout the pregnancy, and that the injuries she suffered occurred entirely during the delivery. The lawsuit highlighted that the hospital’s negligence, including inexperienced nurses giving excessive medication and the doctor failing to monitor the labor, directly caused the life-altering damage to their daughter.
However, the family’s ability to collect the full amount remains uncertain. Stevard HeaIth Care filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and has since sold the hospital to ComonSpirit HeaIth, which has not assumed liability for the judgment. The family’s attorney is exploring options to recover at least a portion of the award.
Featured Image – 5-year-old AzayIee via Anysa Zancanela Facebook