A mother and her baby have pleaded a separate cause of action. The accused hospital moves to dismiss the infant’s cause of action, brought by her maternal grandfather as Guardian appointed by an order of the Court.
It is claimed that the hospital’s negligence, failure to provide adequate care and supervision, failure to protect and safeguard her health and physical body from harm from others while the mother was in the custody of the hospital resulted in the infant’s conception and being born out of wedlock to a mentally deficient mother. Furthermore, it is said that the infant was deprived of property rights, normal childhood, home life, proper parental care, support and rearing has caused her to bear the stigma of illegitimacy and has otherwise been greatly injured and such injuries are represented in plead sum of $100,000.
The hospital does not assail the mother’s cause of action wherein her Guardian seeks $50,000 for the claimed carnal assault of the mother while a patient at the said hospital, resulting in the pregnancy and birth allegedly due to the State Hospital’s insufficient care and supervision of said mentally ill patient. The legal posture is not inconsistent with the instant motion. In effect, the State Hospital says that if proven, there is a recognized cause of action in favor of the mother but regardless of proof the infant has no cause of action such as pleaded. The hospital emphasizes that the claimed cause of action of the infant has never been successfully pleaded in any other case although there have been trials of a mother’s cause of action.