LOS ANGELES (CNS) - An obstetrician-gynecologist sued Monday by multiple women alleging sexual abuse is awaiting a scheduled late 2025 trial on civil suit allegations that he and a resident physician made errors during the 2022 delivery of an infant that has left the child with a lifelong brain impairment.
The infant boy was born July 4, 2022, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the medical malpractice suit against the OB-GYN, Dr. Barry J. Brock, the resident, Dr. Clarissa Niino, and the hospital was filed on the 2-year-old's behalf by his mother, Julie Russell. The doctors and the hospital have all denied liability.
On Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rolf M. Treu scheduled trial for Dec. 8, 2025.
Three days before delivery, Russell saw Brock for evaluation of her pregnancy and consideration of vaginal breech delivery, the suit states. On the day the baby was born, but before delivery, the infant continued to be in breech delivery, the suit further states.
Rather than have a C-section performed and inform Russell of the option, Brock recommended a footling breech delivery, a deviation from the standard of care, according to the suit.
Brock and Niino delivered the infant while performing multiple maneuvers while the infant's head was stuck in the birth canal, increasing the risk of injury, the suit alleges.
Brock and Niino "forcefully torqued and manipulated the infants head, causing injury to the back of his skull, leading to subdural bleeding in the brain," the suit alleges.
After delivery, Russell complained that her son changed color and had jerking movements and he was transferred to the NICU, where a neurologist determined he was having seizures, according to the suit.
The boy was found to have suffered severe injuries to his head, neck and brain -- causing the seizures and subdural bleeding -- and he will be neurologically impaired and dependent on others for the remainder of his life, the suit filed Feb. 20 alleges.
In the suit filed Monday by Brock's 35 former patients, the women allege Brock sexually exploited and abused them while they were receiving care. The plaintiffs contend Cedars-Sinai knew about the alleged abuses but allowed him to continue practicing medicine for decades.