A Florida jury awarded $220 million in damages Thursday to the family of Maya Kowalski in a malpractice lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (JHAC).
In 2015, Beata Kowalski checked her 10-year-old daughter, Maya, into the hospital for treatment of a chronic pain condition, requesting ketamine treatments. Hospital staff doubted the severity of Maya’s condition and the necessity of the high-risk treatments, leading them to notify child welfare authorities in Florida. Maya was then removed from her parents’ custody and became a ward of the state, the New York Post reported.
The family alleged in a 2018 lawsuit that Maya’s mother, Beata Kowalski, committed suicide after being accused of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a disorder where a caregiver falsely presents someone under their care as ill, the outlet noted, according to Fox News.
The lawsuit claimed false imprisonment of Maya, fraudulent billing, and severe emotional distress inflicted on the family. It also accused social worker Catherine Bedy of battery and Dr. Sally Smith of medical neglect of Maya, per Fox news.
The jury decided in favor of Maya Kowalski’s family, holding the hospital liable. Post-verdict, the jury allocated $50 million in punitive damages to the family, Fox News reported.
WATCH:
JHAC, represented by Howard Hunter of Hill Ward Henderson, plans to appeal based on “prejudicial errors” and “misleading conduct” during the trial, the report says. (RELATED: Idaho Woman Accuses Fertility Doctor Of Using His Own Sperm For Insemination 34 Years Ago)
JHAC maintains compliance with Florida’s mandatory reporting law and commitment to protecting children. The defense underscored JHAC’s belief in a safer medical path for Maya, away from “unnecessary drugs given at dangerous levels.”
The case gained attention after the Netflix documentary “Take Care of Maya,” highlighting Maya’s battle with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and the subsequent legal and emotional turmoil following the hospital’s accusations against Beata.