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Newborn baby burned by hospital heat lamp

Posted at 11:01 AM, May 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-10 11:01:42-04

Nashville, Tenn. – A Tennessee family says their newborn daughter suffered serious burns after a piece of hospital equipment malfunctioned.

A screw from a heat lamp somehow came loose and fell onto baby Aminah, leaving serious burns.

“My baby shouldn’t have had to go through that,” her father Sean Boyd told WSMV.

“One of the nurses that came in the room said she noticed when it fell. She said she was standing right near the baby,” Boyd said. “I don’t believe that because the way the burn marks look, it had to be sitting there for a second. It didn’t just roll on there and fall. It wouldn’t have done that much damage to her skin. It’s really bad, it’s blistered.”

The baby’s mother is still in the hospital.

She said she planned to take pictures of Aminah and had a special outfit for her, but now they can’t dress the baby at all for fear of irritating or infecting the burns.

The hospital issued a statement saying in part:

“A nursing staff member who was at the bedside, removed the baby from the warmer. … A neonatologist was called to assess the baby immediately. A plastic specialist has been contacted to examine the baby to see if any treatment is needed at this time. There will be no cost incurred by the family related to this event. Saint Thomas Midtown is very sorry that this event occurred and have offered a sincere apology to the parents.”

Boyd said he plans to take legal action.