Birth and tragedy in 2018

On 17 October 2018, a newborn named Hylian was born at the Bastia Hospital Center. However, the birth turned into a tragedy as the newborn presented severe cerebral injuries resulting from a lack of oxygenation and was subsequently transferred to the University Hospital Center of Nice, where he died eight days later, on 25 October, in his mother's arms.

Eight years of waiting and legal action

Eight years have passed since then, with the parents enduring mourning, procedures, waiting, and anger. On 23 October, the parents publicly spoke out in Pietralba alongside their lawyer, Me Jean-Christophe Coubris, a specialist in medical liability cases, who reviewed the circumstances of the birth and the conclusions of expert assessments that led to the formal charge of involuntary homicide against a midwife on 20 May 2026.

Medical complications during labor

The mother's pregnancy had proceeded without particular complications, and the decision was made on 16 October 2018 to induce labor due to the due date having passed by four days. According to the elements of the file presented by the lawyer, the initial examinations were reassuring. However, as the hours passed, the situation deteriorated.

Fetal heart rate anomalies and monitoring issues

Starting at 8:40 pm, several fetal heart rate anomalies were recorded, with repeated slowdowns, sometimes as low as 80 beats per minute. Despite these signs, monitoring was interrupted around 9:30 pm, and the future mother was sent back to her room with instructions not to call the midwife for several hours.

Legal procedures and compensation

Following their son's death, the Sammarcelli couple initiated several legal procedures to understand what had happened. A medical assessment, whose report was submitted on 7 February 2025, concluded to faulty omissions by the Bastia Hospital Center. On 6 May 2025, the Corsica Mediation and Compensation Commission (CCI) estimated that these faults entitled the family to full compensation for the damages suffered.

Formal charges against the midwife

In parallel, an investigation was opened at the Bastia Court. On 20 May 2026, the midwife in charge of monitoring the birth was formally charged with involuntary homicide. According to the elements of this formal charge, several omissions were attributed to her, including the absence of an alert from the on-call obstetrician despite fetal heart rate anomalies, the premature interruption of monitoring, the absence of medical examinations for nearly three hours, the continuation of expulsive efforts despite an abnormal heart rate, and the alleged use of an abdominal expression, a technique not in line with medical recommendations.

Emotional impact on the parents

For Hylian's mother, this legal advancement represents an important stage, but it does not suffice to ease eight years of suffering. She stated that they had been waiting eight years for this formal charge and recalled the first hours after her son's birth and the feeling of incomprehension that immediately settled. The explanations provided by the medical staff quickly aroused the couple's suspicions, leading them to contact a lawyer before their child's death.

Difficulties in caring for the newborn

She also spoke about the difficulties she encountered in joining her hospitalized baby in Nice, explaining that she had to pay for her own plane ticket and had to insist to be accommodated within the hospital facility to stay with her newborn. Hylian died on 25 October 2018, in his mother's arms.

Continued presence of the midwife

The parents also denounce the lack of professional sanctions against the midwife charged, who, according to their lawyer, still works at the Bastia Hospital Center. Hylian's mother expressed that it was an incomprehensible situation, stating that the midwife had continued to work for eight years. She demanded a judicial condemnation and measures to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.

Impact on the mother's life

Beyond the medical and legal file, the parents also spoke about the profound changes in their lives. Hylian's mother described the consequences of her first child's death on her personal, professional, and social life. She had previously worked with children with disabilities and the elderly but found it difficult to resume a professional activity after the tragedy.

Personal and family changes

She recounts having tried to return to work in a school, but an experience that went well for several months before a day suddenly revived her pain. She has since become isolated, taking care of her son, husband, and family. The couple has since welcomed another child, but the birth of this younger brother has never erased the absence of Hylian.

Ongoing grief and parenting challenges

The mother also mentions the consequences of the grief on their parenting, the sadness that resurfaces sometimes, and the efforts needed to preserve their family balance. She highlights the solidarity that allowed her couple to go through these years.

Legal delays and criticism

During the press conference, Me Jean-Christophe Coubris also denounced the duration of the procedure, noting that several years were lost waiting for assessments and investigations. He criticized the hospital's attitude toward the parents, denouncing a lack of support and difficulties in obtaining certain elements of the medical file.

Next steps in the legal process

He indicated that a notice of the end of the investigation had been issued, hinting at the possibility of a potential trial. The prosecutor must now submit its requests before a decision is made on the judicial follow-up of the case. The couple's lawyer hopes to be able to announce a trial date during the year 2027.

Hope for justice and prevention

Eight years after bringing back the coffin of their first child from Nice, Hylian's parents now hope that justice will establish the responsibilities in the circumstances of his death. They stated that they know he will not return and are not doing all this for him to return, but he should be here today. They want the truth and for the responsibilities to be recognized.

A quest for justice intertwined with mourning

This quest for justice has become inseparable from their mourning, with the hope that the tragedy experienced by their family will not happen again.