‘Take Care of Maya’ Hospital Wins Appeal, $208M Verdict Reversed After Nurse Mom’s Suicide
Nearly two years after a Florida jury awarded more than $200 million to the Kowalski family, a state appeals court has overturned the verdict against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
The case gained national attention through the Netflix documentary Take Care of Maya, which told the story of Maya Kowalski, who was just 10 years old when she was treated at the hospital in 2016. Maya suffered from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a rare and painful condition. Her mother, Beata Kowalski — a registered nurse — pushed for ketamine treatments to help relieve her daughter’s severe pain.
Hospital staff grew concerned about the treatment plan and questioned the diagnosis. Believing Maya might be a victim of medical abuse, they reported the situation to Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF). That report led to a court order placing Maya in the hospital’s custody for more than three months — separating her from her parents. During that period, Beata died by suicide.
In 2023, a Sarasota County jury found the hospital liable for false imprisonment, medical negligence, battery, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The jury initially awarded $261 million, though the judge later reduced the amount to about $213 million.
Now, the Second District Court of Appeal has ruled that the trial court made major legal errors, particularly in applying Florida’s “good faith” immunity law, which protects healthcare workers who report suspected child abuse. The appellate judges said the hospital acted appropriately in making the report and that the lower court should have dismissed several claims or ordered a new trial.
Some parts of the case aren’t over yet. Claims including intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, battery, and medical negligence may still be retried.
Ethen Shapiro, an attorney for Johns Hopkins All Children’s, called the ruling “resounding” and said it reaffirms legal protections for providers who report suspected abuse in good faith. He also criticized Take Care of Maya for what he described as a “one-sided narrative.”
The case continues to raise difficult questions about how far hospitals should go when they suspect child abuse, the legal protections healthcare workers have, and how families are affected when those suspicions prove wrong.
