BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas – The Texas Medical Board has restricted the license of a Brazoria County OBGYN after several newborns died or were harmed during delivery.
On June 26, a disciplinary panel restricted, with notice, the Texas medical license of Dr. Gregory Carrington Cooke after determining his continuation in the practice of labor and delivery posed a continuing threat to public welfare. The restriction was effective immediately.
The restriction prohibits Cooke from engaging in the practice of labor and delivery.
According to documents, the board found that Cooke's treatment of five patients significantly violated the standard of care. The board further found that Cooke engaged in a pattern of mismanagement of labor and delivery, resulting in the deaths of several newborns.
"I am shocked that this is the doctor that I used," Desiree Wartman said.
Wartman, a Brazoria County mother, has three healthy children; two of them were delivered by Cooke.
She said she never saw any wrongdoing, and never has had a problem with Dr. Cooke.
Wartman said she plans to continue to use Cooke as her gynecologist.
Channel 2 Investigates found four specific cases since 2010 in which newborns died under Cooke's care. In one case he delayed performing a C-section, according to the Texas Medical Board, and in other cases he was hard to reach, late or completely missed a delivery, although that baby lived.
Problems with newborns were not the only trouble Cooke is accused of having. Channel 2 Investigates learned that in 2012 Cooke was reprimanded, fined and monitored for prescribing himself and family members drugs.
Friday afternoon attorney Courtney Newton, who is representing Cooke, sent an email to Channel 2 reporter Joel Eisenbaum that read in part:
"Although a temporary suspension hearing was held by the Medical Board, the Board did not suspend Dr. Cooke's medical license. Instead they took temporary action, which he is appealing and we anticipate will be resolved at an expedited hearing."
