It’s possible that a jury could be deciding sometime in 2015 if the Medical University of South Carolina, Greenville Health System, and the state child welfare agency, is guilty of medical malpractice. The hospital stands accused of removing a baby boy’s penis before his second birthday.
Parents Mark and Pam Crawford allege that surgeons performed sex assignment surgery on their son, M.C., when he was only 16 months old. The child, born with both female and male reproductive organs underwent a surgery that his adoptive parents claim was unnecessary.
The parents contend that the child should have been allowed to choose a gender for himself when he was old enough to do so.
Attorney Anne Tamar-Mattis, of Advocates for Informed Choice, says, “Our client’s penis was surgically removed for no medical reason. He’s going to have to live with that for the rest of his life. No surgery he can get can give him back what he lost.”
The Crawfords adopted the child from state custody after the surgery had been completed. It has become clear, however, that M.C. wanted to be a boy from the time he was able to voice his opinion. He changed his name when he was 7. The parents say that he is just like any other boy in the neighborhood.
A court dismissed the Crawfords’ federal lawsuit earlier this year. The defense for the doctors claimed that the medical professionals performed the surgery with no idea that they were violating the child’s civil rights. Spokespeople for the Greenville Hospital System are refusing to comment on the case.
The case against the state remains active, and it is the first of its kind. Other lawsuits of a similar nature have been settled out of court in order to maintain the privacy of the individual plaintiffs.
Money to pay for treatment that M.C. will need in the future is being sought. The Crawfords have not named a specific dollar amount as they have no idea what future surgeries and treatments will cost. The child, now 10, may or may not testify at the trial.
If you have been the victim of medical malpractice, we are here for you. Contact our offices at your convenience for a free initial consultation. We will work tirelessly to get you the compensation that you and your family deserve.
