Mother Sues CHOC Over Death of Her Son

Nearly a year after a veteran nurse allegedly administered a fatal overdose of medicine to the unofficial poster boy of Children’s Hospital of Orange County, his mother is suing the renowned medical center.

According to attorney Martin Handweiler, Steven Selby was in the hospital receiving treatment for leukemia and an experimental bone marrow transplant Aug. 11 when a nurse injected him with 10 times the prescribed dose of hydralazine, a drug intended to lower blood pressure.

“They were supposed to give him .26 milligrams, and they gave him 2.6,” Handweiler said.

As his mother, Kimberle Selby, watched, 9-year-old Steven suffered an “immediate deterioration” and attempts to resuscitate him failed, according to the suit. Four days later, she removed her son from life-support systems.

CHOC officials were not available to comment on the suit, which was filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court.

Steven was one of the hospital’s star patients, featured on the hospital’s fund-raising newsletter and the cover of the cancer unit’s annual report. Months before his death, Selby had met with President Clinton and wangled a tour of Air Force One, Handweiler said.

For three years, Steven had battled the same rare cancer that had killed his father, Richard, in 1991. Like his father, Steven’s left leg was amputated, and he later developed leukemia. He had a bone marrow transplant using the blood cells of a donated umbilical cord, the same procedure performed on the daughter of Angels batting coach Rod Carew.

Kimberle Selby, 39, of Yorba Linda could not be reached for comment, but Handweiler said Selby has had to undergo counseling to handle the tragedy.

“She lost her husband. Steven lost his leg. Then this. She is having a bad time,” he said.

Handweiler said he has had “friendly” discussions with the hospital’s insurance carrier and does not expect the case to go to trial.

“I don’t think this is the kind of case that should find its way into a courtroom,” he said.

Handweiler said he is not allowed to specify a damage amount in the suit. But, he said, the ceiling for the loss under California law is $250,000.