HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A mother is sharing her experience after learning her premature baby was one of dozens who contracted a dangerous infection during a years-long outbreak at Henrico Doctors' Hospital.
Shawnphyl Chambers contracted pneumonia while pregnant in the fall of 2022, leading to cardiac arrest and being placed in a medically induced coma.
"I was in a coma for four days, I woke up and she was in the NICU," Chambers said.
Chambers' daughter Yayonni Poag was born at 31 weeks at Henrico Doctors' Hospital.
During their stay, Chambers said her daughter contracted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA.
"At that point I was just like let me out of this hospital because not only did y'all give my baby MRSA but my baby isn't even thriving," Chambers recalled thinking.
Chambers showed investigative reporter Melissa Hipolit the memorandum for transfer from November 2022, where she requested Yayonni be moved to Johnston Willis Hospital. Among the reasons she wrote for requesting the transfer was "MRSA contracted-several concerns."
"We are talking about sick babies who are already fighting for a chance to live, and then on top of that to have them contract a disease that could really kill them because they have to fight hard to be here," she said.
Chambers said she thought her baby's infection was an isolated incident.
That changed in May when CBS 6 reported staff at Henrico Doctors' told state inspectors there had been a MRSA outbreak in the NICU for three years and the facility had not determined the cause.
Inspectors from the Virginia Department of Health also found a hospital document that said 94 NICU patients had been infected.
Watch: MRSA outbreak lasted 3 years, infected 94 babies
The length of the outbreak is unusual as the Virginia Department of Health told CBS 6 the majority of MRSA outbreaks in NICUs last less than two months.
Under state law, hospital outbreaks must be immediately reported to the local health department.
"It makes me very mad because there is no way two years later that this should still be going on," Chambers said.
"Should it have been all hands on deck to try to get this thing under control, or is it OK in your mind that they let it go for three years?" Hipolit asked Chambers.
"No it's not OK in my mind," Chambers replied.
For months, CBS 6 has asked the Virginia Department of Health when Henrico Doctors first told them about the MRSA outbreak in the NICU, but they have not answered that question.
They did tell CBS 6 that once they learned about it, an experienced VDH infection preventionist conducted a site visit to observe and review facility infection prevention and control practices, assess environmental cleaning and disinfection practices, and make disease control recommendations.
They also had conference calls with the facility's infection prevention and administration to discuss surveillance and control strategies and had follow-up site visits as well as consultation with CDC subject matter experts to identify additional recommendations to share with the hospital.
"The health department did confirm that they were working with the hospital to investigate, and I guess try to curb the outbreak, but do you think that was effective?" Hipolit asked Chambers.
"Investigating is not enough because 94 babies that's a high number," Chambers responded.
It was not until the state inspected the hospital in late 2024 and early 2025 because several NICU babies had unexplained fractures that they cited the hospital for deficiencies related to the MRSA outbreak, finding the hospital failed to consistently implement methods to prevent and control the transmission of infections within the hospital.
"What do you think about them letting the outbreak persist? Should they have taken more strict enforcement actions to try to force the hospital to stop the outbreak?" Hipolit asked Chambers.
"Yeah they should have taken strict enforcement, like I said before these babies are already sick," Chambers replied.
CBS 6 asked VDH why they did not cite the hospital for any deficiencies related to the MRSA outbreak when they conducted an inspection in 2023 based on four babies having unexplainable fractures at that time.
A spokesperson said that was a focused federal complaint investigation.
We asked VDH how the late 2024 and early 2025 investigation differed from the 2023 inspection, since they both related to unexplainable fractures in NICU babies yet only one found deficiencies related to the MRSA outbreak, and we are waiting to hear back
Wes Hester, the Director for Media Relations for HCA Healthcare Capital Division, which owns Henrico Doctors' Hospital, told CBS 6 their reporting related to MRSA has been timely and in compliance with all VDH requirements.
Hester referred us to VDH to confirm the reporting timeline "on their end."
He also said this particular MRSA outbreak was officially closed by VDH, and they have not had any additional infections in the NICU.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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