July 9 (Court TV) -- Louise Woodward failed to respond to a wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Matthew Eappen, the baby she was convicted of killing, and this allowed a federal court to automatically rule against her.

Woodward's failure to respond to the suit, which was filed on June 16 by Sunil and Deborah Eappen, waived her right to a trial. U.S. District Judge William G. Young, who issued the default order, now must decide the amount of damages Woodward must pay to the Eappens. Woodward can still challenge the order, but Peter Quinn, her attorney in England, said that she cannot afford to fight the suit.

"She is not in a financial position to defend the action in America," Quinn reportedly said. "It's not an admission of guilt. She maintains her innocence."

Woodward's supporters have said that her legal defense fund, which once reached approximately $500,000, was only about $80,000 after the fees were paid for her appeal. Woodward returned to her native England last month after Massachusetts Supreme Court upheld her manslaughter conviction and sentence of time served for Matthew Eappen's death.

The Eappens reportedly are hoping to receive a seven-figure judgment in compensatory and punitive damages. Their suit against sought to prevent Woodward from profiting from her case until the suit. (Woodward has denied that she plans to sell her story to the press or book publishers. While some U.S. experts in international law are optimistic about the default order's chances of being enforceable in England, other experts remain skeptical.

Judge Young has yet to schedule a date for the hearing where he will determine the damages award for the Eappens.