Newborn Dies After Alleged Nurse Error in Ohio Hospital NICU

Ellieana J. Peyton tragically died just weeks after she was born at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio after a nurse allegedly 'dragged' her out of bed

A newborn baby girl died after reportedly being dragged from her hospital bed by a nurse at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, while her parents briefly left to take a shower.

Ellieana J. Peyton was born on March 4 with cardiomyopathy, a rare cardiovascular disease that led to her being placed in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Doctors were closely monitoring her condition due to the underdevelopment of the left side of her heart.

Her parents, Mackenzie and Tyler Peyton, were overjoyed when they were informed their daughter might be discharged and sent home on May 28. However, just three days before that could happen, tragedy struck.

Ellieana was born on March 4 with Cardiomyopathy - a cardiovascular disease - and had to be placed in the NICU. (Pictured: Ellieana with her parents)

According to Mackenzie, a nurse caring for Ellieana forgot that the baby’s monitoring cords were still in her pocket. When the nurse moved away from the bedside, the cords allegedly dragged Ellieana out of the crib. The incident occurred while Mackenzie and Tyler had stepped out briefly to shower.

“She already had a 20 percent chance of life, and this hospital wants to be so careless and be so dumb with a newborn baby,” Mackenzie wrote in an emotional social media post.

Her fatal injuries were caused by a fall from a crib and her cause of death was listed as 'Congenital dilated cardiomyopathy complicated by blunt force head injuries

The infant sustained a fractured skull and severe head bleeding from the fall. Despite intensive care efforts, Ellieana died on March 31, just 27 days after her birth.

The Franklin County Coroner’s report listed her cause of death as "Congenital dilated cardiomyopathy complicated by blunt force head injuries" and ruled it an accident caused by a fall from the crib.

Devastated, Mackenzie described the pain of returning home without her baby. “Your bed’s empty. Your car seat was empty on the way home. This isn’t real. I just want you back,” she wrote.

A spokesperson with Nationwide Children’s Hospital told McClatchy News: 'Due to patient privacy, we are unable to provide information about specific patients'

Ellieana’s obituary remembered her as a joyful and alert baby with expressive brown eyes and a smile that could light up any room. “She was always so alert, and she wanted to see her surroundings. With one laugh from her mommy or hearing her daddy’s voice, she would look everywhere until she found them,” it read.

A funeral service was held on April 5, followed by a dignified cremation.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital issued a brief statement: “Due to patient privacy, we are unable to provide information about specific patients.” It remains unclear whether Ellieana’s parents plan to pursue legal action.