By LEANDRA ROLLE 

Tribune Chief Reporter 

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER whose newborn baby was left severely disabled after a botched delivery at the Princess Margaret Hospital has broken her silence about the emotional and financial toll of a near-decade-long battle for justice, detailing how her marriage suffered and key medical records mysteriously vanished before they finally won $3.6m in their negligence case.

In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, the mother, who has asked to remain anonymous, revealed how she initially blamed herself for the tragedy when in reality the doctor who she had trusted since she was 18 years old was to blame for a catalogue of errors that left her son suffering from cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and other neurological impairments. Today, aged 12, he cannot speak or care for himself, is fed through a tube, and requires around-the-clock care.

She and her husband’s fight for justice was made harder by the fact that no Bahamian doctor was prepared to testify against Dr Gregory Carey, who delivered their son. Added to that, his medical records mysteriously disappeared for a year, only being recovered after the mother and her husband threatened legal action.

Supreme Court Justice Lorein Klein ruled that Dr Gregory Carey’s mishandling of the delivery led to the child’s injuries and awarded the family one of the largest medical negligence payouts in Bahamian history: $3,648,239.70.

The family relocated to Canada in 2023 to access better care and schooling. They left behind a newly built home and careers — hers in banking, his in accounting. Now 41, the mother works as a collections officer, while her 46-year-old husband is studying for a double bachelor’s degree. Their son attends a special needs school and is making progress.

“We had to leave everything behind to come here to try and give our son a better life, because there literally is no schooling for him because he’s in a wheelchair and he still has pampers,” the 41-year-old mother said, recalling the struggles of caring for him in The Bahamas. She added that her son remains in good spirits and expresses emotions through sounds, a marked improvement from his early years.

“As long as he’s fighting, mommy and daddy will always fight,” she said.

They have since welcomed a daughter, now six, delivered via C-section without complications.

The mother recalled how she had trusted Dr Carey since she was 18. She said what hurt most was that he never apologised, not even after joking during the delivery that it was his “most tough” and that they were “trying to mess up his record”.

“I was blaming myself,” she said, adding: “Never once did he apologise. Never once did he humble himself.”

The trauma strained their marriage. After their son was born, her husband was unemployed, and the family juggled a mortgage, utility bills, and constant medical appointments.

Their legal journey, which began in 2015, was fraught with delays. Court dates were postponed repeatedly. Their son’s medical file at Princess Margaret Hospital went missing for a year and was only recovered after they threatened legal action. Even then, critical documents, including the heart rate monitor strip, were never found.

No Bahamian doctor would testify against Dr Carey, the family said, forcing them to rely on a physician in Florida. “Nobody cares whether y’all are friends. Justice should prevail,” the mother said. “Everybody just didn’t want to touch it with a ten- foot pole.”

Just as the trial was gaining traction, the assigned judge was replaced. Dr Carey’s legal team frequently requested documents, causing more delays. It took four years, rather than the six months the mother expected, for a verdict.

“This is unacceptable to be treated this way in our own country, and this is a child. This is a minor child who cannot stand for his self,” the mother said. “This case should have been given priority, as per our laws.”

Still, the family never doubted they had a strong case. They had waited three years after marriage before trying for a child, and the mother described her pregnancy as healthy and uneventful — until August 5, 2012, when she went into labour at PMH’s private ward.

Efforts to administer an epidural failed, but she said all seemed well until Dr Carey told her to push. She struggled, and he told her she wasn’t pushing hard enough. Her husband, alarmed by her exhaustion and an unusual beeping from the foetal monitor, asked for a C-section. Dr Carey reportedly refused, saying it was too late.

Another physician, Dr Harold Bloomfield, was eventually called in and delivered the baby with forceps at 11.45am. The child was born unconscious, with the umbilical cord around his neck. He was resuscitated and placed in the NICU.

A neurologist later warned, “Y’all in for a long haul,” citing a brain bleed. A nurse told the mother she had never seen a case so severe: “Mama, don’t let this go.”

At first, the couple hoped the damage was minimal. But their son missed milestones and began suffering seizures. “The doctor in the hospital, they downplayed it, like nobody really wanted to tell us how the magnitude of it,” the mother said.

They waited two years before filing a lawsuit, saving money in the meatime. The claim was lodged in 2015, one week before the statute of limitations expired.

Since relocating to Canada, the mother says the family is finally stable.

“It’s been a blessing. We’re doing the best we can,” she said, adding they want to establish a foundation to help families in similar situations.

To other parents, they offer one message: “Don’t be afraid to go after your doctor,” the father said. “Fight for your child. Fight for your loved ones.”

Attempts to contact Dr Carey were unsuccessful. He has denied wrongdoing, claiming he was properly trained and suggesting the child’s injuries may stem from developmental abnormalities. Justice Loren Klein rejected that argument, citing inconsistencies in Dr Carey’s notes and testimony.