A Massachusetts couple have reached a $15 million settlement — one of the largest in state history — with Boston Children's Hospital following the death of their 6-month-old son in 2022, according to an April 29 report from The Boston Globe.
Ryan and Becky Kekula took their son Jackson into Boston Children's Hospital for a routine car seat test and sleep study, common procedures for children born with dwarfism, like Jackson.
According to the lawsuit, an error was made during the car seat test that left Jackson without oxygen for 20 minutes, resulting in a brain injury.
The Kekulas' attorney, Robert Higgins, contended that hospital staff failed to properly monitor Jackson during the test, focusing on an equipment malfunction instead of on Jackson's irregular breathing and heartbeat.
According to documents, the hospital suspended sleep studies for five weeks following the incident and implemented corrective steps.
It is rare for pediatric sleep studies to result in death, and the hospital never had a serious adverse event previously, according to the report.
The Kekulas declined a nondisclosure agreement proposed by Boston Children's, as they wanted to educate other parents about the risks of even benign procedures.