A San Diego couple whose child died under the care of a local doctor organized a protest Saturday outside a new birthing center owned by that same doctor.
Amber and Michael Lukacs rallied at the grand opening of the Babies by the Sea birthing center in Encinitas owned by Dr. Robert Biter.
Though the Lukacs and other protestors spread their message quietly and peacefully, with signs in hand, they insisted their message was a matter of life and death for pregnant women.
Their signs warned mothers-to-be to stay away from Babies by the Sea, which officially opened for business Saturday. It's an alternative to hospital-based labor and delivery, but protestors said the center's owner is a danger to women and their unborn babies.
Public documents confirm Biter surrendered his medical license last year without contesting allegations by the State Medical Board that his negligence and incompetence caused the death of an unborn baby.
State Medical Board records indicate Biter had previously been disciplined twice for problems with patient care.
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“We're just trying to get it out there that people should look at the facts, look at these public documents and be informed before you back somebody with such a controversial past,” said Amber Lukacs.
But not everyone agreed with the protestors, including Patty Segovia-Krause, a satisfied patient and supporter of Biter's work.
"Doctors had told us we could never have children before. But we had heard about Dr. Biter so we came to see him and he was amazing. No ones ever taken the time to treat us like that," Segovia-Krause said.
Biter was inside the birthing center on Saturday. NBC 7 requested an interview, but he did not grant it.
He previously told NBC 7 Investigates that he will be an administrator only and have no role in patient care at the center. Biter said Babies by the Sea is a state-of-the-art birthing center with quality care for pregnant women.
Amber Lukcas, however, is not convinced.
"I think that even though he is legally not able to practice medicine and has no medical license, I don't feel like that would stop him," she said.
The Lukcases currently have a pending lawsuit against Biter.
Despite the protest, Segovia-Krause said she'll continue to support Biter and his new endeavor.
"There will always be haters. They'll be influenced by their spouses or other people, and they're just followers. They'll go along,” Segovia-Krause said. “You know, easier to hate, I guess, to be hating, than [to be] lovers. Not for me."
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