A couple from Georgia received a $2.25 million verdict after a doctor shared an explicit autopsy video of their newborn on social media without permission.
Dr. Jackson Gates along with his Atlanta practice now owes significant sums to Jessica Ross and Travaon Taylor Sr., following Fulton County judges ruling in favor of the couple for emotional distress, privacy violations, and fraud.
The couple’s attorney stated that “the young couple trusted him with the precious baby’s body,” and criticized the doctor for causing further pain to them during an already devastating time.
The distraught couple had engaged the services of this pathologist for an autopsy just two days after their baby was delivered, which had turned tragic; the obstetrician reportedly used excessive force, getting the baby stuck during delivery.
In July 2023, the baby’s head emerged, but, during the C-section, the rest of the body was not successfully delivered. Authorities later classified the death as a murder.
Later that month, Gates shared several videos and images on his Instagram, depicting the “amended and amputated head” from the autopsy.
Initially, the pathologist took down the footage after a letter from the couple’s lawyer, but he reposted it afterward, as noted in the lawsuit.
Gates’ attorney, Ira Livant, explained that his client typically shares such content to educate his fellow pathologists and stress the importance of independent medical evaluations when families suspect malpractice.
“Dr. Gates expressed that he is deeply sorry for the unintended harm caused,” Livant said on Saturday.
He added that if Gates had known the family would see the content, he would never have posted it.
The couple will receive $2 million in compensatory damages along with $250,000 in punitive damages, as specified in the ruling. Additionally, they have filed separate lawsuits against the delivering doctor and Riverdale Hospital, where the tragic event took place.
