Warning: This article contains repeated mentions of suicide and death.
Maya Kowalski has taken the stand at the trial against staff at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and she has revealed the last words her mom said to her.
As previously reported, Maya, who was only 10 years old when she was placed under state custody, is alleging that her parents were falsely accused of fabricating her symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), leading to a tragic series of events.
In 2017, Maya's mother, Beata, tragically took her own life, which she attributed to the separation from her daughter.
The case has gripped the nation's attention, with disturbing allegations against the hospital staff at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. It is claimed that the staff videotaped Maya for 48 hours and took photographs of her in her underwear without proper consent. They also allegedly denied Maya's parents the ability to transfer her to another hospital, exacerbating her medical issues.
During her emotional testimony, Maya recounted a pivotal moment in 2016. "I remember that my mom was on this phone call, and the person who she was speaking to... claimed that I never asked to speak to my mom. That I was doing fine. I was okay in my room. I hadn’t had any questions about why my parents weren’t allowed to see me," she revealed through tears.
"That infuriated me so much because all I did for days on end was demand to speak to my parents. That’s all I wanted to do, and I most certainly wasn’t just sitting in my room. I was crying," Maya continued.
As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Maya has since revealed to the court the final words that her mother said to her before she died by suicide.
"She said, 'I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow,' and I never saw her again," Maya heartbreakingly revealed.
Unaware of her mother's death at the time, Maya revealed that she woke up at 2:00AM and said: "I was crying 'I miss my mom, I love my mom.' I had the feeling. I felt it."
In June, Maya's father, Jack, made a statement to PEOPLE, saying that his wife's condition was deteriorating due to their separation. He described their daughter as being "held captive" by the hospital and expressed the profound impact it had on his wife. A judge's denial of Beata's request to hug Maya was particularly devastating.
In his testimony last month, Jack described watching his wife's health deteriorate as she was kept away from Maya. The family's attorney, Greg Anderson, claimed that the hospital's actions led Beata to lose control of her maternal instincts, ultimately overshadowing her survival instinct.
As a result, Anderson asserted that Maya and her brother, Kyle, were "denied" a "loving, caring, and amazing mother," a statement that brought Maya to tears as she sat behind him during the trial.
Tragically, it was later discovered that Beata had sent an email before her death, expressing her despair, writing: "I’m sorry but I no longer can take the pain of being away from Maya and being treated like a criminal. I cannot watch my daughter suffer in pain and keep getting worse."
Hospital attorneys have stated that their suspicions of child abuse were made in 'good faith': "This Court has determined that Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital reported suspected child abuse of Maya Kowalski in good faith," a request for special jury instructions stated.
"Neither Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital nor Catherine Bedy can be found legally liable for making that report."
