'No African-American nurse takes care of my baby:' Nurse sues hospital after father with Swastika tattoo 'refused to let her care for his newborn child'



A Michigan nurse is suing the hospital she works for after she was allegedly barred from caring for a child because of her skin color.

The nurse, Tonya Battle, claims that she was caring for a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit of Hurley Medical Center when the baby's father asked to speak with a supervisor.

'The father told the [nurse in charge] that he did not want any African Americans taking care of his baby,' the lawsuit states.

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A Michigan nurse is suing her employer, Hurley Medical Center (pictured), after she was allegedly barred from caring for a child because of her skin color

During the exchange, the man allegedly pulled up his sleeve and revealed a tattoo believed to be a Swastika, according to the lawsuit.

The baby was immediately reassigned to another nurse.



'[She] was shocked, offended and in disbelief that she was so egregiously discriminated against based on her race and re-assigned,' the court documents state.

A staff meeting was held to inform the hospital's nurses of the father's demands and the new policy regarding his child, the lawsuit claims.



The nurse's attorney (pictured) said there was a note attached to the the hospital assignment clipboard that said, 'No African American nurse to take care of baby'

When Battle returned to work the next day, she a note was posted on the nurses' assignment clipboard that read, 'No African American nurse to take care of baby.'

'African American nurses [like Battle] were not assigned to the baby for approximately the next month because of their race,' the lawsuit states.

VIDEO Black nurse 'was prohibited from caring for white baby'

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