Florida Midwife's Malpractice: Baby's Life Changed, Mom's Struggle

0:00A Florida midwife named Cisely Hour faces big trouble after a malpractice case left her owing $12.2 million to a Tampa mom whose baby got hurt during birth. The infant suffered permanent damage when Hour pulled too hard on his head during a stuck shoulder delivery, going against standard care. Turns out she wasn't carrying the state-required insurance at the time. Digging into her record, Hour renewed her license from 2017 to 2023 by claiming she wasn't practicing in Florida, dodging the insurance rule. But her own records prove she kept delivering babies, including this one from mom Victoria Basser. Now the health department hit her with a fraud complaint from March. Basser says her son Dylan, now growing up, needs three days of occupational therapy weekly, which she can only swing one because of costs. Cases like this hit families hard, leaving lifelong struggles and uncovered bills when midwives skip safeguards. The council of licensed midwifery stepped up after hearing about it.

1:01In their February meeting, they flagged the weak insurance proof at renewals and pushed for tougher rules statewide to protect moms and babies. The health department's eyeing license revocation for R and plans to beef up those requirements soon, aiming to close the gaps for good. Answer Tampa Bay News to date update, AI powered and always on.