A Las Vegas doctor is being sued for 'failing to treat the heart infection' of a mother who died just weeks after giving birth to her daughter.
Cassie Medina, 30, gave birth on February 7 last year and was later discharged fromCentennial Hills Hospital without being treated for an elevated heart rate, a lawsuit alleges.
The mother-of-two died on March 1 after undergoing a heart valve replacement due to a severe infection.
Her heartbroken family have now filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against local OB-GYN Dr. Steven Harter, an advanced practice registered nurse and Intermountain Health Care Inc.
The lawsuit claims that Harter had previously settled two other medical malpractice claimswithin the last 10 years that have totaled $3 million.
Cassie Medina (left) gave birth on February 7 last year and was later discharged from Centennial Hills Hospital without being treated for an elevated heart rate
The mother-of-two died on March 1 after undergoing a heart valve replacement due to a severe infection
He is also facing an ongoing malpractice lawsuit in Clark County, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
The family's lawsuit alleges that Intermountain Health breached its duty by hiring Harter after he was involved in $3 million worth of settlements.
'Something's wrong here where a physician has this history and nothing happens,' attorney Robert Murdock, representing Medina's family told the publication.
'It's like hiring a wolf to guard the chicken pen,' he said.
'We are aware of this lawsuit and will address these claims in the appropriate legal forum,'spokesperson for Intermountain Health Care said, but declined to comment further.
A routine heart test would have registered what was a treatable infection, Murdock said in the lawsuit.
'You got to treat it, and you treat it with antibiotics,' Murdock said, adding that 'she would have been fine' had she received the appropriate care.
Neither Harter nor the nurse ordered any treatment beyond Tylenol for Medina after an electrocardiogram test showed she had an increased heart rate following her daughter's birth, according to the lawsuit.
'Anyone lucky enough to have met Cassie knows how much dimmer the world is now' her sister-in-law said
Cassie is survived by her husband Joshua and their two daughters Mila and Rosalie
'Cassie always put others ahead of herself. She was the epitome of kindness and grace' a family GoFundMe page stated
'Ms. Medina was not advised to follow up with a cardiologist or her internal medicine doctor,' Murdock wrote.
'The only recommended medical follow-up was for Cassie to see her obstetrician, Dr. Harter, within 4-6 weeks.'
'Anyone lucky enough to have met Cassie knows how much dimmer the world is now' her sister-in-law wrote on a GoFundMe page set up in her memory.
'She was such a bright light and a truly beautiful person inside and out' Radley Medina wrote.
'Cassie always put others ahead of herself. She was the epitome of kindness and grace.
'My heart breaks for my brother and my nieces' she added.
Cassie is survived by her husband Joshua and their two daughters, Mila and Rosalie.
Harter faced a previous lawsuit in 2014, after one of his patients suffered a uterine rupture while giving birth, which caused her baby brain damage resulting in cerebral palsy, the Journal reported.
Cassie Medinadied just weeks after giving birth to her second daughter
Medina's (center) heartbroken family have now filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against local OB-GYN Dr. Steven Harter
An emergency cesarean section was delayed up to 20 minutes after the woman's uterus ruptured, and the baby had moved into her abdominal cavity by the time the C-section was performed, according to the lawsuit.
The case was settled by Harter's insurance company for $1 million.
A further lawsuit was brought against the doctor in 2016for a 'delay in diagnosing fetal distress leading to the child's delivery in a compromised condition.'
His insurance company paid out $2 million in the settlement.
A further case was brought in April 2022 by the family of a baby delivered by Harter back in 2012.
The baby's mother was allegedly not notified of the risks of using forceps or a vacuum extraction to help during birth, according to the lawsuit.
Despite the mother's preference for a quicker C-section, it was not performed until after the forceps and vacuum extraction were used, it stated.
The baby has since grown up unable to speak and with cognitive development problems.
He suffers from seizures, growth developmental issues and has undergone surgeries to correct his neck and posture, according to the lawsuit, which alleges his health problems are the result of the forceps and vacuum extraction.
Robert Murdock, DrSteven Harter and Intermountain Health Care Inc. did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's requests for comment.
