A couple from Punchbowl is pursuing legal action against the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, alleging that their daughter, Tomi Onakoya, sustained a brain injury during her care as a newborn in 2019, which has left her with permanent disabilities. Now aged six, Tomi has recently learned to walk but is still non-verbal, leading her mother, Olamide, to express the extensive daily care Tomi requires.
Tomi was born prematurely, arriving ten weeks early in February 2019, and spent months receiving treatment in various hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Her parents, Olamide and Matthew, maintain a strong belief in the hospital’s care until a suspicious incident unfolded. While at Westmead, Matthew claims to have witnessed a health worker’s abrupt examination of Tomi, which appeared alarming and resulted in subsequent concerning symptoms observed in their daughter.
After discharge, Tomi faced a critical health episode three weeks later, prompting a frantic call for emergency assistance as she stopped breathing. Following this incident, medical assessments at Westmead revealed worrying signs of bleeding on the brain, supporting the family’s claims of a serious injury. They were informed that hospital staff alerted police regarding potential child abuse, an accusation which they found to be unbelievable, especially since an investigation by the NSW Police Child Abuse Unit later cleared the family of wrongdoing.
A medical report suggested that Tomi’s injuries were concerning and linked to incidents at the hospital, leaving the question of liability unresolved. The family is now determined that justice be served for Tomi and seeks release of all her medical records from the hospital.
A spokesperson for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network has stated that they cannot comment on the matter as it is currently before the court. The couple feels that the burden of proof lies ahead as they take their case back to the Supreme Court next week, hoping to hold the hospital accountable for what they believe has severely impacted their daughter’s life. Both parents remain steadfast in their desire for Tomi to communicate with them in the future and for her to receive the justice they feel she deserves.