A 2-year-old girl sustained permanent brain damage, leaving her at risk for a lifetime of seizures after she was struck in the head by a foul ball during a Houston Astros games in May, her family lawyer revealed Tuesday.
The toddler, who has not been identified, was struck in the back of the head by a line drive off the bat of Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. on May 29. She sustained a skull fracture and brain injury as a result of the hit.
Richard Mithoff, an attorney representing the family of the child, told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday that the young girl has brain damage.
“She has an injury to a part of the brain, and it is permanent,” Mithoff told the paper. “She remains subject to seizures and is on medication and will be, perhaps, for the rest of her life. That may or may not be resolved.”
Mithoff said doctors have described the effects of the injury to her central nervous system as similar to those of a stroke. The areas of the brain affected include those in which injuries can lead to seizures, loss of sensation and loss of spatial awareness, he said. Other potential effects include periods of unresponsiveness and staring spells, frequent headaches and night terrors, he said.
No legal action has been started, and Mithoff declined to comment on any conversations with Astros officials.
Major League Baseball has announced that for the 2020 season, all 30 teams will extend the netting that protects infield grandstands.
