It was really a horrific situation to be treated like a dog, or not even like a dog, like less than,” mother Mercedes Wells said.
Two Black women in Texas and Indiana say they were denied urgent medical care while in labor, despite being minutes from giving birth. The incidents, which occurred just days apart in different states, highlight long-standing racial disparities in maternal health, experts say.
In Texas, a viral TikTok video shows Karrie Jones screaming in pain at Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite while a nurse continues to ask intake questions such as her due date. “Right now,” Jones screams as she writhes in a wheelchair. Her mother, who recorded the video on Nov. 11, can be heard asking whether the nurse treats all patients this way “or just the Black ones.” She says staff refused to move Jones into labor and delivery until paperwork was completed. The family says they waited more than 30 minutes before Jones was admitted.
Less than a week later in Crown Point, Indiana, Mercedes Wells rushed to Franciscan Hospital with contractions 10 minutes apart. As a mother of three, she recognized that her fourth baby could arrive soon. Wells said she waited six hours, was checked only by a nurse, and was sent home without seeing a doctor. While her husband was driving her home, he saw the baby’s head emerging. He pulled over, and eight minutes later, Wells gave birth in their truck on the side of the road. “It was really a horrific situation to be treated like a dog — or less than,” Wells said.
Wells expressed deep hurt and fear, saying the experience showed that Black women are still not valued in the health system. Her husband said he feared losing both his wife and child during the emergency birth.
In response, Dallas Regional Medical Center said it prioritizes patient safety and dignity. Franciscan Health Crown Point issued a formal apology to Wells and confirmed that both the nurse and doctor involved are no longer employed. CEO Raymond Grady acknowledged the hospital failed to listen to Wells and announced new policies, including mandatory cultural competency training and a requirement that all pregnant patients in labor and delivery be examined by a physician before being discharged. “Compassionate concern is absent when a caregiver fails to listen to a patient clearly in pain,” he said.
According to the CDC, Black women in the U.S. die from childbirth at nearly three times the rate of white women—50 deaths per 100,000 births compared with 14.5 for white women. Black babies are also more likely to be born prematurely or die in infancy. Dr. Joel Bervell, a physician and social media advocate, said delayed care, as seen in both cases, is a major and preventable contributor to these disparities.
The incidents also raise legal questions. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals must stabilize patients showing signs of active labor. But “active labor” can be a subjective measure, legal analyst Angela Cenedella explained, meaning hospitals may not always be liable unless negligence can be proven.
The cases have prompted political action. U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois announced she will introduce legislation to prevent similar incidents. The Wells family has hired an attorney and is in contact with hospital officials. Texas lawmakers say they are reviewing Jones’ case with the hospital.
Wells said she watched the Texas video while she herself was in the labor and delivery room, never imagining it would soon happen to her. “It shouldn’t happen to any woman,” she said. “Race, ethnicity—none of that should matter. This should not happen to people.