The teenager who sued a hospital for $220 million in a bombshell lawsuit after her mother committed suicide while accused of Munchausen by proxy was pictured partying with friends in the days after her legal team said she was too was ill to go to court.
Maya Kowalski, 17, was just 10 years old when she was removed by the state after doctors at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital accused her parents of faking the symptoms of her rare chronic pain disorder.
During her three-month hospital stay, her mother Beata Kowalski was prohibited by law from seeing her. The affected mother fell into depression and eventually committed suicide. The heartbreaking tragedy was detailed in the Netflix documentary Taking Care of Maya.
Last Friday, Kowalski family attorney Gregory Anderson told the media that Maya was not present for Dr. Sally Smith, the child abuse pediatrician who investigated her case.
Anderson said that due to the emotional impact of the process, Maya had developed lesions related to her diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, reports Hof TV.
But on Tuesday, defense attorneys introduced new photos into evidence, some taken from Instagram, showing Maya at a Halloween party and a homecoming event.
Maya Kowalski was unable to attend the hearing during her bombshell trial in which she sued Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital for $220 million, with lawyers saying she was too sick. Attorneys added photos to the evidence showing she was partying on Halloween
Maya Kowalski, seen in the back of a limousine, was also present at her homecoming. Defense lawyers said this was proof that she was capable of leading a normal teenage life
Last week, Maya’s attorney said the stress of the trial had caused her to develop lesions related to her CRPS diagnosis.
Maya’s lawyers argued that the photos should not be allowed because the teen did not post them himself
One of the photos shows Maya at a homecoming event
In the Halloween photo, the teen can be seen smiling while wearing a two-piece outfit. In another, she wears a short dress while riding in a limousine.
Referring to the photos, defense attorney Ethen Shapiro said the court was told that since Maya’s hospitalization, Maya has been unable to lead a normal teenage life.
“This is Maya Kowalski’s life today. We have not aggravated a pre-existing condition. She’s at her prom, she’s in heels, she has friends – it completely contradicts her testimony,” Shapiro said while talking about the photos.
The family’s lawyers have responded by saying that the photos should not be allowed because Maya was not the one who posted them and that those in the photo with her are not involved in the case.
The judge ruled that two of the three photos presented could be admitted, but the one of her in the two-piece outfit was thrown out.
Johns Hopkins attorneys rested their case Wednesday, but Maya and her father, Jack, could return to the witness stand during the rebuttal.
Maya broke down in court as she told the court the last moments she saw her mother as she took the stand in the $220 million lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
The now 17-year-old was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) at the age of 9, but was taken to hospital with severe pain in October 2016 at the age of 10
Maya’s mother, Beata, (right) took her own life after being diagnosed with depressive mood and adjustment disorder after being separated from Maya for almost three months
Maya was removed from her parents’ care after hospital staff became suspicious about the dose of ketamine her mother wanted to treat her with for the excruciating chronic pain.
The Florida Department of Children and Families and a state judge supported hospital staff’s suspicions of “medical child abuse” and placed Maya under the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families and she was housed at the center.
AndersonGlenn LLP, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Kowalski family, confirmed that the family is seeking $55 million in compensatory damages and $165 million in punitive damages.
The hospital’s defense is expected to focus on the status of its staff because journalists are required by state law to call the abuse hotline if they have “reasonable cause,” the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Ethen Shapiro, who is part of the hospital’s defense team, previously stated that the decision to remove Maya was made by the child welfare system and not the medical facility.
The hospital released a statement to DailyMail.com saying, “Our priority at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital is always the safety and privacy of our patients and their families.
“That’s why we follow strict federal privacy laws that limit the amount of information we can release about a specific case.
‘Our first responsibility is always to the child in our care. Our employees are required by law to notify Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) if they suspect abuse or neglect.
“It is DCF and a judge – not Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital – who investigates the situation and makes the final decision on what course of action is in the best interest of the child.
‘We are determined to avoid any chilling effect on reporting requirements for suspected child abuse, to protect the most vulnerable among us.’