Wires Pull Newborn From Unsecured Crib, Lawsuit Claims

A lawsuit filed on January 27, 2026, by Tyler Peyton alleges that his newborn daughter, Ellieana, died after a fall from her crib at Nationwide Children's Hospital in March 2025. Ellieana, who was 27 days old at the time of her death, was admitted to the hospital's Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit shortly after her birth on March 4, 2025, due to a heart condition.

According to the lawsuit, hospital staff determined Ellieana to be stable and scheduled her release for March 28, 2025. However, on the night of March 25, a patient care assistant allegedly left a rail on Ellieana's crib down. Monitoring wires attached to the infant were also connected to a device in the assistant's pocket, and as the assistant moved, the wires reportedly pulled Ellieana over the unsecured side of the crib.

The infant fell approximately three to four feet, sustaining a skull fracture, brain bleeding, and swelling. Her condition deteriorated over several days, leading to cardiopulmonary collapse on the day she was to be discharged. Despite extensive resuscitation efforts, testing revealed severe brain injuries due to lack of oxygen.

An autopsy by the Franklin County Coroner's office concluded that Ellieana died from her congenital heart defect, exacerbated by the head injury from the fall. Her death was ruled an accident. The lawsuit seeks damages for medical negligence, wrongful death, and misconduct.