SC birth center's license suspended after baby death, report states

FORT MILL, S.C. — A Fort Mill birthing center had its license suspended after a baby died recently.

The Carolina Community Maternity Center was shut down by the Department of Health and Environmental Control after a report states.

The report states that a pregnant woman arrived at the center on Aug. 29 at 9:43 p.m. in labor and at several times did not receive proper care after suffering complications.

The report states an exam was performed at 7:15 a.m. that showed the patient's cervix was 8 cm dilated.

Further check of the patient did not occur until 12:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, which revealed the patient experienced a rupture of membranes.  No physician was consulted, the report states.

Several hours later after the baby's heart rate dropped, the patient was transported to Piedmont Medical Center at 7:30 p.m. in the patient's family vehicle with a midwife.

The report states the center did not contact EMS to transport the patient.

After arriving at the hospital, the baby was born without a heartbeat.

Doctors tried to resuscitate the baby but were unsuccessful.

The center posted a message on its Facebook last week about the shut-down.

"We regret to inform our community that DHEC has issued a temporary suspension to operate our facility. We are working diligently to appeal the decision so we can re-open as soon as possible. Clients are welcome to call and discuss options for their continued care and access their medical records," the Facebook post read.

Eyewitness News reached the clinic by phone Wednesday, but the person who answered said the clinic would not be commenting on the state's action.

The state also suspended the licenses of two midwives who were supervising the birth -- Jacqueline Kuschner and Pamala Wilson.

Wilson told Eyewitness News in a text message that she is not commenting on the case, and no one answered the door at Kuschner's home Wednesday.

The clinic and the midwives have 15 days to appeal the suspensions.

In March, Eyewitness News toured the clinic when it was lobbying against a bill that would put more restrictions on birthing clinics in South Carolina.

Many parents said then they were comfortable with the clinic's procedures, and on Wednesday, a woman who delivered her third child there said the state suspensions do not change her mind.

"They were my safe haven and to hear they're closed is upsetting to me," said Huntersville resident Lora Lyons. "I would totally go back."

WSOC