The Daily Populous Monday April 28th, 2025 morning edition
Authored by cbsnews.com and submitted by Warcraft_Fan

New York parents say son nearly bled to death after circumcision

A family says their newborn son nearly bled to death and is fighting for his life after he was circumcised at a New York City hospital.

Tim and Gabrielle Groth said their son, Cole, underwent the circumcision at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in Manhattan, where he was born on March 31.

Baby in critical condition after circumcision, parents say

Tim and Gabrielle Groth's son Cole. CBS News New York

Days after Cole's birth, doctors placed a stent in him to address a known heart disease he was born with.

"Everything was going well," Tim Groth said. "He was doing so well that he was cleared for discharge."

Then, the couple said the hospital asked if they wanted their son to be circumcised, a routine procedure.

"We were called and asked if we wanted to move forward with circumcision, and we just said yes," he said. "We weren't aware of any of the risks. We didn't really, no one told us that there were elevated risks for children with CHD."

The day after Cole's circumcision was one of the worst of their lives, the couple said.

"I walk in and he is extremely pale. He is crying like I've never heard before," Gabrielle Groth said. "It was not my healthy boy I saw just the day before."

"Throughout the night, for 10-plus hours, our son bled almost to death," Tim Groth said. "The vital organs of his body lost blood and oxygen, and he suffered liver damage, kidney damage, brain damage ... How does that happen in a cardiac [neonatal intensive care unit]?"

Cole remains in critical condition at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, his parents said.

"Due to patient privacy policies, we cannot comment," the hospital said in a statement to CBS News New York.

Tim Groth said his newborn son undergoes daily transfusions and had four surgeries in the last week.

"Trying to understand how you could go from a circumcision, in what seemed like a stable baby, to crisis," he said.

The Groths are waiting for the day when they can bring Cole home to meet his older brother, 2-year-old Bryce.

"I want him to know how strong he is and the strength he showed, and how much he fought," Gabrielle Groth said.

babashishkumba on April 27th, 2025 at 23:00 UTC »

Probably shouldn't cut parts off babies for no reason

Realistic_Oil7763 on April 27th, 2025 at 17:53 UTC »

I was born 3 months premature and my parents waited until I was around age 6 until I got circumcised. Went in for an arm surgery only to wake up with also a burning and painful peepee. Them and the doctor kept it secret from me.

betcaro on April 27th, 2025 at 17:45 UTC »

For those who haven't read the article, child was born with heart condition. After receiving a stent, hospital asked parents if they wanted to go ahead of circ. According to parents, hospital did not warn them about increased risks of surgery in an infant with a heart condition.

And on a personal note, I was shocked by how much pressure the docs and nurses put on us after our son was born. Not-so-subtle but still indirect "Are you sure?" and ongoing discussion after we indicated "no."