Charles S. Johnson IV says his wife, Kira, was in great health when she arrived at the Los Angeles hospital for an elective c-section to deliver their second son on April 12, 2016. Less than twelve hours after she gave birth, she died due to massive blood loss.
In a lawsuit, Johnson alleges Kira's death could have been prevented by Cedars-Sinai staff. Court documents obtained by People magazine state blood was seen in Kira's urine around 5 P.M., but her OBGYN was not notified of an internal bleeding concern until 11:25 P.M.
Charles S. Johnson IV filed a complaint seeking damages for wrongful death and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
The U.S. maternal mortality rate lags behind 45 other developed countries. This is the only developed country where the maternal mortality rate has risen over the past two decades. For Black women, these stats are far more dire. Black women are nearly four times more likely than white women to die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth related complications.
The situation has even drawn concern from the U.N. According to Our Bodies Ourselves, "the disparity between black and white women is consistent at all income levels."
