Botched circumcision leaves Long Island infant fighting to live, dad says

A routine circumcision procedure has left a Long Island newborn with catastrophic injuries, transforming what should have been a joyful homecoming into a living nightmare for his family.

Cole Jordan Groth, born March 31 at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital with complex congenital heart disease, was recovering well from an initial heart procedure and scheduled to go home April 16.

Instead, he remains hospitalized with severe organ damage, following complications from a circumcision performed on April 14, according to his father.

“He went from smiling and breastfeeding to clinging to life in a matter of hours,” said Tim Groth, Cole’s father and CEO of a local pain management practice.

Groth, 35, of Lake Grove claims the procedure was performed on the nightshift at 11 p.m., and severe bleeding that followed went unaddressed for more than seven critical hours — from about 2:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. — resulting in Cole losing nearly half his blood volume.

When asked about Cole’s condition and his father’s description of his hospitalization, the Manhattan hospital said it cannot comment due to patient privacy policies.

Groth explained further that by the time his wife Gabrielle arrived at the hospital that morning, expecting to discuss discharge plans, she found her son pale, cold to the touch and in critical condition.

Emergency intervention followed, but significant damage had already occurred, Tim Groth said.

Multiple surgeries revealed sections of dead intestine that required removal.

Cole has also shown signs of encephalopathy on EEG readings, potentially indicating brain injury from oxygen deprivation, Groth said he has been told by physicians. Groth provided a more detailed explanation of what he says happened to his baby son in a Facebook post that is posted below.

In an emotional interview with Greater Long Island, Groth described the devastating impact on his family as they now face an uncertain future for their newborn son.

“We knew coming into this we were going to have this long journey and battle because of his heart condition,” Groth said. “Now, not only do we have to face that, but we have to undergo countless procedures and worry about him having a permanent disability.”

The Groths had been told early in the pregnancy about their son’s heart condition, but were assured there was reason to believe that he would live a normal life, Tim Groth said.

After nine days of weathering numerous surgeries and fighting for his life, Cole now faces a number of additional operations, including intestinal repairs and the heart procedures he was originally expected to undergo for his congenital condition.

“His body has been through war,” Groth said, explaining that sections of Cole’s intestines have died and had to be removed. “I am amazed and encouraged by how strong he has been.”

The newborn’s belly remains temporarily open following multiple surgical interventions.

Several of Groth’s family members work in the medical field and are “appalled” at what happened, he said.

“Six events like this don’t happen from one mistake,” Groth said, paraphrasing his father, also named Tim Groth. who is a pain management physician. “It’s one mistake followed by another mistake, followed by another mistake.

“That’s what creates tragic outcomes.”

The situation has devastated the entire family. Groth’s wife has struggled emotionally while trying to care for the couple’s 2-year-old son Bryce.

The emotional trauma has even caused her to lose most of her breast milk production, adding to her distress, Groth said.

While community support has poured into a GoFundMe relating to Cole’s care, Groth emphasized that raising awareness is the campaign’s main purpose. Donors have contributed more than $50,000 to the campaign.

Tim Groth said the primary goal of the “Support Cole Jordan Groth’s Fight for Life” GoFundMe page is to create “a campaign of strength in numbers” and to prompt meaningful changes in patient care.

“This has been absolutely overwhelming,” Groth said. “We’re just totally devastated.”

_{Top photo: Cole Groth (GoFundMe).}