Parents Awarded Over $2 Million After Autopsy Photos of Their Decapitated Baby Posted Online

ATLANTA, Ga. — A jury has ordered Dr. Jackson Gates and his clinic, Medical Diagnostic Choices, to pay more than $2.25 million to Georgia parents Jessica Ross and Treveon Taylor Sr. after he posted graphic autopsy photos of their baby, Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr., on Instagram without permission.

The verdict included $2 million in emotional distress damages and $250,000 in punitive charges. The couple sued in September 2023, alleging that Dr. Gates violated their privacy, intentionally inflicted emotional harm, and committed fraud by publicizing the deeply personal autopsy images of their infant son.

Dr. Gates argued the posts were educational and legally covered under HIPAA—but a Fulton County judge ruled against him after he failed to respond to the lawsuit, resulting in a default judgment of liability.

This legal battle stems from a tragic July 2023 birth at Southern Regional Medical Center. Baby Treveon was decapitated during delivery due to shoulder dystocia—a condition confirmed as response negligence by the Clayton County Medical Examiner, who classified the death a homicide.

Despite being the child’s medical examiner, the hospital allegedly hid the true nature of the incident. The grieving parents weren’t allowed to hold their baby; instead, they viewed him through a glass pane and were urged to cremate him, unaware of the decapitation until days later when the funeral home informed them.

Alongside the damages award against Dr. Gates, Ross and Taylor have filed a separate lawsuit against the hospital and the attending obstetrician, Dr. Tracey St. Julian, for medical negligence leading to the baby’s death,

Why This Case Matters

This case is a stark reminder of the importance of informed consent and respect for grieving families. It highlights how a medical professional’s misuse of sensitive images can compound trauma when trust and privacy are violated.

It also raises urgent questions about hospital transparency and accountability: from the tragic obstetric failure during childbirth to the unethical handling of the baby’s remains afterward.

The $2.25 million verdict sends a powerful message about ethical boundaries in medicine and the consequences when those boundaries are ignored.