A tragic case of alleged medical negligence has surfaced in Palm Beach County, Florida. On August 28, 2024, Michael McCauley and Bethany Davis filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit against St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc., Dr. Ernesto M. Cabrera, Emergency Pediatric Services, PA, Dr. Chantal M. Murphy, and South Florida Anesthesia & Pain Treatment, PA.

The plaintiffs are acting as personal representatives of the estate of Charles McCauley, who died under the care of the defendants in August 2023. According to the complaint, Charles McCauley presented at St. Mary’s Medical Center with difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with croup. The medical staff involved included Dr. Ernesto M. Cabrera and Dr. Chantal M. Murphy.

The core allegation is that both doctors failed to establish an airway for Charles McCauley in a timely manner through proper intubation or other means, leading to his death. “The Defendants in this matter failed to timely establish a proper airway which was the cause of death of CHARLES McCAULEY,” states the complaint.