Jury Rules for Defense in Connecticut Wrongful Birth Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
A Connecticut jury returned a defense verdict in a wrongful birth medical malpractice lawsuit filed by Lyanne Santos-Reyes against her obstetric care providers. Santos-Reyes claimed the Defendants failed to detect her daughter's spina bifida during prenatal care in 2018, which deprived her of the opportunity to terminate the pregnancy.
Cause
Santos-Reyes received prenatal care at Naugatuck Valley Women's Health Specialists beginning in May 2018 after discovering she was pregnant. Dr. Rachel L. Leonardi, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, performed and supervised multiple fetal ultrasounds during the second trimester. The Plaintiff alleged that ultrasounds conducted on August 20, 2018, and August 28, 2018, failed to properly visualize the fetal spine and other important anatomy. According to the complaint, the ultrasound reports noted limited views due to fetal position but never specifically evaluated or documented the fetal spine as normal.
The Plaintiff claimed she repeatedly asked her medical providers why so many ultrasounds were needed and was told everything was normal and she had nothing to worry about. No notation existed in the medical records indicating she was informed about the significance of incomplete anatomical views or offered additional testing options.
Injury
Santos-Reyes delivered her daughter, Evalyce O'Donnell, via cesarean section at St. Mary's Hospital on December 20, 2018 at 38 weeks and 5 days gestation. Birth records documented a large area of swelling to the sacral area. The infant was subsequently diagnosed with meningomyelocele, the most severe form of spina bifida, and transferred to Yale-New Haven Hospital the following day. No physician diagnosed the condition until after delivery.
Meningomyelocele is a neural tube defect where the spinal canal and backbone fail to close before birth, leaving the spinal cord exposed. The condition causes severe disabilities affecting bladder and bowel function, loss of sensation in the legs and feet, and inability to move the legs, requiring a lifetime of extraordinary care and assistive equipment.
Damages Sought
The Plaintiff sought compensatory damages exceeding $15,000, the jurisdictional threshold for Connecticut Superior Court. The claimed damages included extraordinary expenses for the lifetime care of her disabled daughter, medical and surgical costs, impaired earning capacity related to the inability to work while caring for her child, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff: Lyanne Santos-Reyes
· Counsel for Plaintiff: Steven J. Errante, Esq | Marisa A. Bellair | Daniel A Thomas
· Experts for Plaintiff: Hindi Stohl | Gloydian Cruz-Gomez | Jennifer Reason
Defendants: Rachel L. Leonardi, D.O. | Trinity Health of New England Provider Network Organization, Inc. (formerly known as Naugatuck Valley Women's Health Specialists, P.C.)
· Counsel for Defendants: Vimala B. Ruszkowski
· Experts for Defendants: Alfred Abuhamad | Erin McNamara
Claims
Medical Malpractice Resulting in Wrongful Birth: The Plaintiff alleged Dr. Leonardi and the medical practice deviated from applicable standards of care by failing to properly interpret the August 2018 fetal ultrasounds, failing to arrange for additional imaging when anatomical views were incomplete, and failing to inform the Plaintiff about the inconclusive nature of the studies and the risk of congenital fetal malformations.
Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress: Santos-Reyes claimed the Defendants owed her a continuing duty to provide accurate information about her true condition and available options. She alleged they negligently failed to discuss whether she should terminate the pregnancy versus continuing to term, causing her severe physical and psychological injuries.
Defense
The Defendants denied all allegations of negligence and causation in their amended answer filed February 28, 2022. They admitted providing care to the Plaintiff during her pregnancy but denied any insinuation that the standard of care was not met. The defense directed the Plaintiff to the complete medical records for accurate descriptions of the examinations and documentation.
Regarding the August 2018 ultrasounds, the Defendants admitted that sonographer Lidia Stinson performed the studies and Dr. Leonardi reviewed the images. However, they denied the Plaintiff's characterization of the views obtained and disputed any claim that the standard of care required a diagnosis of spina bifida before delivery.
Jury Verdict
On October 30, 2025, the jury found in favor of the Defendants and against the Plaintiff Lyanne Santos-Reyes on all issues. Because the jury found for the defense, no damages were awarded. The Plaintiff's verdict form, which would have required the jury to insert damages amount from interrogatories if liability was found, remained unsigned.
The case proceeded to trial after the Plaintiff obtained an extension of the statute of limitations in December 2020 and filed the original complaint in March 2021. Jessica Bursell, P.A., who was initially named as a Defendant for her role in early prenatal visits, was apparently dismissed from the case before the verdict, as only Dr. Leonardi and Trinity Health remained as Defendants at the time of the jury's decision.
Court Documents