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Hospital Accidentally Cuts Off Newborn's Toe

Posted: 5:01 pm EDT July 21, 2003Updated: 8:59 am EDT July 22, 2003

ORLANDO, Fla. -- There was a medical mistake at a local hospital Monday as someone accidentally cut off a baby's toe. This alleged medical mistake sounds hard to believe, but we have proof from Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando.

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According to the family, the baby was about to be discharged from the hospital when someone, while trying cut an ankle ID band, accidentally cut off the newborn's toe.

Sheketa Simmons left Arnold Palmer Hospital this afternoon without the baby girl she delivered two days ago. About two o'clock this afternoon, she learned of the horrible mistake.

"She said she nipped her pinky toe, and when I looked her toe was cut all of the way off," says Sheketa.

She spent the afternoon in her hospital room, trying to understand what happened. Just minutes before, she was going to take the infant home.

Members of the family loaded up the car with gifts for what should have been a happy homecoming. No can understand the mistake.

"When they was cutting the band off the baby's ankle, they cut her toe off and now they won't release the baby. And we've been here for three hours trying to get the baby released," says Demetria Simmons, the baby's aunt.

Doctors told the family that the child was cut while the final check up was being performed. The baby was supposed to go home at 1pm. A spokesperson from the hospital said the baby has now been discharged and, because of confidentiality rules, they cannot discuss the case.

Meanwhile, doctors have not yet tried to reattach the baby's toe and her mother has no idea what should happen next.

The baby girl, whose name is Amirona, was transported to another medical facility late Monday afternoon. Monday night surgeons will try to re-attach the child's toe.

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