A family from the United States has been awarded a record-breaking compensation of nearly £750 million following a catastrophic childbirth at a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. The incident, which occurred in October 2019, resulted in irreversible brain damage to a baby girl named Azaylee, now five years old.
Her parents, Anyssa Zancanella and Danniel McMichael, were visiting the city on holiday when Anyssa went into labour. They sought help at a local hospital, expecting professional care. However, the medical team attending the birth consisted of nurses who had only completed their training the day before. Their lack of experience became tragically evident.
The nurses administered excessive doses of Pitocin, a drug used to induce labour, and failed to recognise signs of fetal distress. When concerns escalated, a more senior doctor was called — only to reportedly return to sleep in a nearby room instead of intervening.
An emergency caesarean was eventually performed, but by then, Azaylee had suffered oxygen deprivation, leading to severe brain injury. She was born with facial swelling, bruises, and an abnormally shaped skull. Today, she requires 24-hour care due to frequent seizures and has no cognitive or executive function comparable to other children her age. Experts believe she will never be able to work, drive, or attend school.
Her mother describes the heartbreak of seeing her daughter trapped in her own body, unable to communicate despite being aware of her surroundings.
The case was presided over by Judge Patrick Corum of the Third District Court in Salt Lake, who condemned the hospital’s conduct. He remarked that the mother would have been safer giving birth in a petrol station bathroom or a remote cabin than in that hospital. The judge awarded the family $951 million — approximately £750 million — describing the loss as “profound, total and complete.”
However, the family’s legal battle is far from over. The hospital’s parent company, Steward Health Care, has filed for bankruptcy, complicating the payout. The family’s lawyers are now working to recover at least half the awarded sum to ensure Azaylee receives the lifelong care she needs.
