Utah Family Wins Nearly $1B After Girl Left Disabled by 'Hellish' Hospital Delivery — What Really Happened?

A Utah family has been awarded nearly $1 billion in damages after a botched 2019 delivery at a medical centre in West Valley City left their daughter with permanent brain damage.

The ruling, which marks the largest medical malpractice award in Utah's history, was handed down by Third District Judge Patrick Corum earlier this month. It held that the hospital, then run by Steward Health Care, was liable for gross negligence and called it 'the most dangerous place on the planet' to give birth.

The case centred on the October 2019 birth of Azaylee McMichael at Jordan Valley Medical Centre in West Valley City, Utah. Her parents, Anyssa Zancanella and Daniel McMichael, had been visiting Salt Lake City from their home in Wyoming when Zancanella unexpectedly went into labour.

What followed was described by the judge as a 'hellish' ordeal, with medical staff allegedly administering dangerous doses of a labour-inducing drug and failing to act on clear signs of distress. The hospital, then operated by Steward Health Care, was found liable for gross negligence.

A Healthy Pregnancy Turned Tragic

Zancanella's pregnancy had been without complications until her water broke during the trip. With her regular doctor hours away, she was admitted to Jordan Valley Medical Centre. According to the lawsuit, the nurses assigned to her had only just completed their training and were ill-equipped to handle a labouring patient.

Over the course of more than 24 hours, Zancanella was given 'excessive' doses of Pitocin, a drug used to induce labour. Despite warning signs, including elevated blood pressure in the baby and a rising maternal fever, staff allegedly failed to intervene. The on-call obstetrician reportedly returned to sleep after being informed of the complications.

Azaylee was eventually delivered via emergency caesarean section, but by then, the damage had been done. She had suffered oxygen deprivation during labour, resulting in severe brain damage. Her head was misshapen, her face swollen, and she had visible bruising and swelling on her scalp.

Judge's Scathing Rebuke

In his ruling, Judge Corum did not mince words. 'Literally, this was the most dangerous place on the planet for her to have given birth,' he said. 'She would have been better off delivering this baby in the bathroom of a gas station, or in a hut somewhere in Africa, than in this hospital.'

He described the impact on Azaylee as 'profound, total and complete,' noting that 'the person she was to be, the person she deserved to be, is trapped inside a brain-damaged child.'

The court awarded the family $951 million in damages, including punitive compensation. However, the family's legal team has acknowledged that collecting the full amount may prove difficult, as Steward Health Care is currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.

A Life of Constant Care

Now five years old, Azaylee requires round-the-clock care. She suffers from frequent seizures, is non-verbal, and lacks the cognitive and executive functioning typical of children her age. Her mother testified that the family shares one bed because Azaylee cannot sleep alone.

'She had her life stolen. We all did,' Zancanella said in court. 'She is trapped. I know that my daughter is in there, but she can't come out, and I think of that every day.'

Azaylee receives ongoing physical and occupational therapy, and her parents have had to restructure their lives to accommodate her complex needs.

Steward Health Care Under Fire

Steward Health Care, which operated the hospital at the time, has faced mounting criticism for its handling of the case. The company withdrew from the lawsuit and ceased communication with its legal representatives, prompting Judge Corum to accuse it of attempting 'to thwart justice and the judicial process.'

The hospital chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 and has since sold several of its facilities. It remains unclear how much of the awarded damages the family will ultimately receive, though their lawyers hope to secure at least the punitive portion.

A Wake-Up Call for Patient Safety

The case has reignited debate over patient safety and accountability in the US healthcare system. With inexperienced staff, delayed interventions, and a lack of oversight cited as contributing factors, the ruling serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of medical negligence.

For Zancanella and McMichael, the verdict is a bittersweet victory. While it acknowledges the gravity of their loss, it cannot undo the damage done. Their daughter's future remains uncertain, shaped by a single day of catastrophic failure in a place meant to protect life.

Why This Case Matters

The ruling underscores the risks when labour is induced and complications are not escalated promptly, and it highlights accountability questions when hospital owners collapse into bankruptcy. Health-system observers note that Steward's 2024 filing and subsequent court-approved liquidation plan have left unresolved claims across multiple states.