An Ohio family is grieving the heartbreaking loss of their newborn daughter, Ellieana Peyton, who tragically died just weeks after her birth following an accidental fall in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Baby Ellieana was born on March 4 with cardiomyopathy, a rare cardiovascular condition that caused the left side of her heart to be smaller than normal, according to her family. Despite the diagnosis, Ellieana had been showing signs of progress and was being closely monitored at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Her family shared that they had expected her to be released from the NICU soon. But on March 31, just 29 days after her birth, Ellieana passed away following a devastating incident at the hospital.
“The parents went home to shower and received a call stating their baby had been dropped,” family friend Stella Dunlap wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page. “They were told their nurse had kept the baby’s monitor cords in her pocket and when she went to walk away, the baby was then dragged from her NICU crib.”
The fall resulted in severe injuries, including a fractured skull and brain bleeds. Despite medical efforts, Ellieana could not recover from the trauma. “She made this world a better place for 29 days. Rest in peace, Ellieana,” Dunlap wrote in tribute.
A report from the Franklin County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Ellieana died at the hospital as a result of a congenital heart defect, further complicated by blunt force head trauma. The injuries were consistent with a fall from a crib, and the death was officially ruled accidental.
In a touching obituary, the family remembered Ellieana’s warmth and the joy she brought in her brief life. “Ellieana had the most contagious smile that would light up the room. She had the most beautiful brown eyes that you could stare into for hours,” the tribute read. “Her favorite place to be was in the loving arms of her mommy, daddy, and family.”
The incident has left the family and the community in mourning, with an outpouring of support for the grieving parents. The GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help cover funeral and medical expenses and to offer comfort during this unimaginable time.
The family has expressed their gratitude to everyone who has shown kindness and support, saying the love they’ve received has helped carry them through this tragic loss.