The parents of 2-year-old Maya Getahun filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Piedmont Eastside Medical Center in Snellville after their daughter died following an ant bite reaction.
The lawsuit claims medical staff delayed administering epinephrine for over 20 minutes despite what the family calls clear signs of an allergic reaction. When the doctor attempted to intubate Maya, she discovered she didn’t have properly sized pediatric equipment.
The Defendants: The lawsuit names Piedmont Healthcare, Inc., Piedmont Eastside Hospital, Inc., Eastside Medical Center LLC, and a doctor, alleging negligence that directly led to Maya’s death on October 7, 2024.
What The Family Says: “Maya’s death was 100% preventable,” said Lloyd Bell, the family’s attorney. “If only the hospital staff had promptly administered epinephrine, Maya would still be alive. If only the hospital had the proper equipment to intubate a child, Maya would still be alive.”
What We Don’t Know: The exact timeline between Maya’s arrival at the emergency department and when treatment finally began remains unclear. The hospital has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
