A Punchbowl family is suing the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network after their daughter was left permanently disabled by a brain injury they claim she suffered in its care as a newborn in 2019.
Share this @internewscast.com
A couple from Punchbowl is taking legal action against the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, claiming their daughter sustained a debilitating brain injury while under its care as a newborn in 2019, leaving her permanently disabled.

Currently six years old, Tomi Onakoya has only recently managed to learn how to walk.

“She’s not talking yet, no words at all,” her mother, Olamide, told 9News.

A Punchbowl family is suing the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network after their daughter was left permanently disabled by a brain injury they claim she suffered in its care as a newborn in 2019.
A Punchbowl family is suing the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network after their daughter was left permanently disabled by a brain injury they claim she suffered in its care as a newborn in 2019. (Nine)

“Tomi can’t do anything by herself, I feed her, bathe her, do everything.

“She’s happy because we show her love.”

Her injury is now the focus of a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.

Tomi was born 10 weeks premature in February 2019 and spent months in different hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

It will be up to a Supreme Court judge to decide whether there is enough evidence to prove that the hospital is responsible for Tomi's injury.
It will be up to a Supreme Court judge to decide whether there is enough evidence to prove that the hospital is responsible for Tomi’s injury. (Nine)
Tomi's injury is now the focus of a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network.Tomi was taken back to Westmead, where doctors later discovered she had bleeding on the brain, which was described in a medical report as "highly concerning" for a "shaking injury".
Tomi’s injury is now the focus of a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. (Nine)

“Every day, we were in the hospital,” Olamide said.

“We trusted them so much.”

There, in April that year, Tomi’s father, Matthew, claims he watched a female health worker examine her.

“During that process, I saw my daughter’s head went like this, her head flip forward and backwards,” Mathew said.

Afterwards, Matthew claims doctors observed Tomi’s eyes rolling back in her head.

Three days later, she was discharged.

Then, after three weeks at home, Tomi had a medical episode, stopped breathing and started turning blue.

“I said to my wife, ‘get on triple zero, get the paramedics straight away’, we thought she was going to die,” Matthew said.

Matthew also wants the hospital to release all of Tomi's medical records.
Matthew also wants the hospital to release all of Tomi’s medical records. (Nine)

Tomi was returned to Westmead, where medical professionals later identified brain bleeding, which was noted in a report as “highly concerning” for a “shaking injury”.

Matthew told 9News they were warned that hospital staff had called police.

“She said to me they’ve called the police and they’re coming for us,” he said.

“It was unbelievable, it was so unbelievable,” her mother said.

The NSW Police Child Abuse Unit investigated the matter but eventually closed the case, concluding that “the injuries … cannot be linked to … when [Tomi] returned home.”

Police records show a doctor told officers, “whilst … it was likely not to have occurred in hospital, she was unable to rule out the possibility it was caused at one of the hospitals she has been at since birth”.

Matthew also wants the hospital to release all of Tomi’s medical records.

There, in April that year, Tomi's father, Matthew, claims he watched a female health worker examine her.
Tomi’s father, Matthew, claims he watched a female health worker examine her. (Nine)

A spokesperson for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network told 9News “as this matter is before the court, we are unable to provide comment at this time”.

“I want justice for my daughter,” Matthew said.

“I can’t wait for that day when she can say mum, because I’ve poured all of my heart into looking after Tomi,” Olamide said.

It will be up to a Supreme Court judge to decide whether there is enough evidence to prove that the hospital is responsible for Tomi’s injury.

The case will return to court next week.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Fire ants found in Toowoomba

BHP Asked to Cover Costs Following Fire Ant Infestation in Queensland

The advocacy group asserts that mining giant BHP should be responsible for…
Man throws hammer at woman's car in road rage incident in Melbourne

Man Hurls Hammer at Woman’s Car During Road Rage Incident in Melbourne

Police are searching for a man who threw a hammer at two…

Israel Calls for Immediate Release of Hostages Following Hamas Truce Agreement

A senior Israeli official says the government stands firm on its call…
Children with mild autism to be removed from the NDIS by 2027

Children with Mild Autism Facing Removal from NDIS by 2027

Hundreds of thousands of children with autism will be diverted away from…
A soldier wears a New Zealand army emblem on exercise in the Nausori Highlands in Fiji, Sept. 9, 2022. (Petty Officer Chris Weissenborn/NZ Defence via AP)

New Zealand Soldier Confesses to Espionage in Landmark Case

A New Zealand soldier who attempted to spy for a foreign power…
Baby Luka has undergone eight surgeries since the burning coffee was thrown on him.

Man who assaulted infant with scalding coffee still at large in China after a year

Australian police are collaborating with Chinese authorities to ensure a man who…
Minister for Education Jason Clare

List of Childcare Centers Not Meeting National Standards Released

The federal government has followed through on its promise to name and…
Man, 83, killed in 'random', 'senseless' alleged stabbing attack

83-Year-Old Man Fatally Injured in Alleged Unprovoked Stabbing Attack

A man has been accused of murder following what the police describe…

Crewless and Propeller-Free: The Potential Impact of Drone Technology on Underwater Global Conflicts

In a warehouse just south of Perth, rows of sleek yellow gliders…
Olympic icon Eileen Gu has suffered a serious injury after a scary accident while training

Olympic Skier Eileen Gu Faces ‘Terrifying Accident’ and Suggests Fan Involvement

Olympic icon Eileen Gu has suffered a serious injury after a scary…
The charge relates to the death of a 32-year-old Cobram woman, who was found deceased in a property on Christie Street, Cobram about 5am yesterday.

Individual Accused of Killing Woman in Cobram

A man has been charged with murder after a woman believed to…

Most Australian Homes Are Spacious, But They’re Not Always Housing Large Families

Australian households are mostly one or two people, but analysis shows the…