Labor and Delivery Nurse Fired for Wishing 4th Degree Tear on Pregnant Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
A labor and delivery nurse in Florida was fired from her job after a social media video in which she made disturbing comments about a public figure who is currently pregnant. The nurse, identified in reporting as Lexie Lawler, worked at Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital and was terminated after a TikTok video she posted went viral and sparked widespread backlash.
In the video, Lawler spoke about White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who announced last year that she and her husband are expecting their second child. In the clip, Lawler used profane language and said she hoped Leavitt experienced a severe childbirth injury known as a fourth-degree tear. These remarks were met with criticism from viewers online and local officials, including the mayor of Boca Raton, who said such comments were inappropriate and had no place in healthcare or the community.
The hospital confirmed that Lawler’s comments did not reflect its values or the professional standards it expects from its staff. After a prompt review, the health system said she was no longer employed there. Baptist Health emphasized that compassionate, unbiased care is a core expectation for all caregivers in its facilities.
In response to her firing, a GoFundMe campaign was launched by supporters who argued that Lawler’s personal social media activity should not have cost her job and that she was exercising her right to free speech outside of work hours. The fundraiser describes the legal support it aims to provide for her defense. Lawler also posted a follow-up video after her dismissal in which she criticized those focused on her language and raised unrelated issues about healthcare workers’ treatment, though the original comments on Leavitt remained the focal point of the controversy.
The incident highlights ongoing debates about the boundaries between personal expression on social media and professional conduct, especially for healthcare workers who are expected to uphold standards of care and respect. In the context of labor and delivery, many parents and advocates emphasize the importance of trust and compassion from providers, particularly during pregnancy and childbirth.
Source: People / Yahoo News reporting on the incident.
Karoline Leavitt Image credit Wikimedia Commons
