Florida mom Victoria Vasser chose a home birth for her first child in 2021. Her Medicaid benefits covered the use of a midwife, and Vasser worked with Sizzly Auer from Wesley Chapel. During the birth, Vasser experienced a complication when her baby’s shoulder got stuck. Auer allegedly did not use safe practices to dislodge the infant’s shoulder. The baby boy, Dylan, was left with life-altering nerve damage, causing an inability to use his right arm. An investigation revealed that Auer reportedly did not have the proper insurance required in Florida, and she now faces disciplinary action.
Vasser recently filed a complaint against Auer.
According to court documents obtained by WTSP, Vasser went into labor at home in November 2021. Auer, who also uses the last name Buchanon Gibb, was by her side. When Dylan’s head became stuck, Auer allegedly used excessive force and told Vasser to push, damaging nerves in Dylan’s spinal cord and rendering his arm flaccid.
“Licensed midwives should not instruct patients to ‘push’ during a shoulder dystocia,” the complaint read.
Auer allegedly circumvented the state of Florida’s insurance requirement.
Every time Auer renewed her midwifery license between 2017 and 2023, she claimed she did not practice in Florida, WTSP reported. By doing so, she avoided purchasing the state’s required insurance coverage. But during that time, she continued seeing clients and delivering babies, including those with Medicaid insurance, like Vasser.
“How can you guys pay her, you know, through Medicaid and not know that she’s delivering babies when she’s not supposed to be?” Vasser asked in a WTSP interview.
Vasser won a lawsuit against Auer but never saw a penny.
Attorney Olivia Kronenberg represented Auer successfully in a medical malpractice suit in 2024. The court awarded her more than $12 million, but because Auer didn’t have insurance, the mom could not collect.
“Dylan is going to have this as a lifelong injury,” Vasser said. “There’s going to constantly be procedures and therapies that he’s going to need.”
The child has costly therapies that her Medicaid doesn’t cover. “Dylan needs three days of occupational therapy a week. I can literally only afford to take off one day a week to get him to therapy,” Vasser said, per WTSP. “Dylan, the services that he needs, are more than what Medicaid will cover.”
Some facilities banned Auer.
The midwife cannot practice at BayCare Health System or Tampa General Hospital after the organizations revoked her privileges, but Kronenberg told WTSP it’s not enough.
“What is it really going to take to revoke her license, to suspend her license? Is it going to take somebody dying?” Kronenberg said. “You know, I fear for that because there are lives at stake.”
This is truly infuriating. If this woman practices without liability insurance and kills someone, what happens? Hopefully this time the state will revoke her license and ensure she never practices again.
