CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A Charlotte mother filed a lawsuit in January against Novant Health over conflicting reports of her newborn’s death in 2022.
Lachunda Hunter gave birth to her daughter Legacy on Feb. 13, 2022, at Novant Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte. Legacy was born prematurely.
Six days later, Hunter said the doctors told her that her daughter had died.
“I never felt that feeling of loss, if you know what I mean,” said Hunter, who has had questioners about her daughter’s death from the beginning.
Three days after Hunter was given the news, a doctor called to give a progress report on Legacy, according to the mother. In the phone call, the doctor said things had “really turned around,” according to the lawsuit filed against Novant Health.
The phone call gave Hunter hope that her miracle baby was still alive.
The mother said she was confused by the call, which allegedly ended abruptly when Hunter’s assistant asked the doctor for clarification.
Hunter said a doctor later apologized and said her phone number was attached to a different file. Hunter said she doesn’t believe that explanation.
The mother showed WBTV documents from her daughter’s medical file that documents procedures done days after the girl’s documented death.
Now, four years later, Hunter claims she’s never been given a clear explanation about her daughter’s death — which makes her think Legacy could still be alive.
“She had tears and sores, and that baby had none. Sores don’t go away because you’re deceased, you know. That baby didn’t have any markings of my daughter,” Hunter said.
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On Jan. 29, 2026, Hunter filed a lawsuit against Novant Health, claiming emotional distress and negligent misrepresentation.
In a statement, Novant Health said it wasn’t able to comment on the specific details of this case.
“We value the trust families place in us, and while privacy laws prevent us from commenting on individual circumstances, we take all concerns seriously,” Novant Health’s statement read, in part. “As caregivers, we guide people through profound moments of joy and loss, and we carry a deep understanding of the complexity of grief.”
Not a day goes by without Hunter thinking about her daughter Legacy. She’s remembered in photos all over Hunter’s home.
On Friday, Feb. 13, the girl’s family gathered with a birthday cake to celebrate Legacy’s fourth birthday.
“I want my child more than anything. We could have settled this a long time ago. Just tell me where my child is, that’s all I want,” Hunter said.
Each year on Legacy’s birthday, Hunter hopes she is one day closer to finding out what happened to her daughter.
“I feel like one day, we won’t be blowing out her candles for her. She’ll be blowing out her own,” Hunter said.
The mother was told that Novant Health would review the matter, according to the lawsuit. However, Hunter says that in four years, she hasn’t received any information about what steps may have been taken.
Read the full lawsuit here
You can read the entire lawsuit filed by Hunter on Jan. 29 below.
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