Homeless Mother Dies In Jail After Hospital Gives 'Clear' For

[AnotherSinner]

Link: http://global.christianpost.com/news/homeless-mo-mother-dies-in-jail-after-hospital-clears-her-arrest-72377/

Was disgusted, how can any hospital deny a woman who urgently seeks help continuously based off a stereotype? This is a good example of the damage labels and assumptions can do. It can cost someone their life if misplaced! There are other articles, and so far...they do not read much differently. Really disappointed with today's hospitals. Had a cousin -in- law recently try to get her one year old boy treated for a returning 105.6 degree fever and the response she got was "Bring him back when he has a seizure." Her jaw dropped, as did mine upon hearing it. She however, did not give up...and went to another hospital to find that her son's aeorta pumps backward! Had she not gotten him in to this other hospital...I am cringing at the thought of what might have been. Either way...this story is really an eye opener at just how much prayer is needed. My apologies for any offense I may cause, it is not my intent.

STORY:

A 29-year-old Missouri woman died in a jail cell after local hospital staff told police that she was trespassing for complaining about continual pain after receiving a clean bill of health. After community residents spoke about potential racial profiling being at play, the hospital staff recently defended the way they treated the African-American woman, identified as Anna Brown.

On Sept. 21, a homeless Brown refused to leave the St. Mary's Health Center emergency room in Richmond Heights, Mo., after complaining about pain in her legs that kept her from walking. However, the hospital staff called the police, who believed that she might have been on drugs and arrested her for trespassing.

Brown had already been examined before police were called to the scene and doctors said she was healthy enough to be taken to jail. After police reportedly dragged the 29-year-old to jail by her hands and feet, because she could not walk, she died minutes later in her cell.

"They thought she was a drug seeker," an officer said in a Los Angeles Times report.

However, an autopsy report found no drugs in Brown's system. Instead, they found blood clots in her legs and lungs that went untreated by doctors.

According to an investigation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Brown first visited St. Mary's on Sept. 20 with a swollen ankle. During her seven-hour stay she was given ultrasounds on both legs, which reportedly came back negative for blood clots. The investigation also revealed that the 29-year-old mother of two returned twice more to St. Mary's, and refused to leave on the final visit.

Edited March 31, 2012 by AnotherSinner

[MorningGlory]

Link: http://global.christ...r-arrest-72377/

Was disgusted, how can any hospital deny a woman who urgently seeks help continuously based off a stereotype? This is a good example of the damage labels and assumptions can do. It can cost someone their life if misplaced! There are other articles, and so far...they do not read much differently. Really disappointed with today's hospitals. Had a cousin -in- law recently try to get her one year old boy treated for a returning 105.6 degree fever and the response she got was "Bring him back when he has a seizure." Her jaw dropped, as did mine upon hearing it. She however, did not give up...and went to another hospital to find that her son's aeorta pumps backward! Had she not gotten him in to this other hospital...I am cringing at the thought of what might have been. Either way...this story is really an eye opener at just how much prayer is needed. My apologies for any offense I may cause, it is not my intent.

STORY:

A 29-year-old Missouri woman died in a jail cell after local hospital staff told police that she was trespassing for complaining about continual pain after receiving a clean bill of health. After community residents spoke about potential racial profiling being at play, the hospital staff recently defended the way they treated the African-American woman, identified as Anna Brown.

On Sept. 21, a homeless Brown refused to leave the St. Mary's Health Center emergency room in Richmond Heights, Mo., after complaining about pain in her legs that kept her from walking. However, the hospital staff called the police, who believed that she might have been on drugs and arrested her for trespassing.

Brown had already been examined before police were called to the scene and doctors said she was healthy enough to be taken to jail. After police reportedly dragged the 29-year-old to jail by her hands and feet, because she could not walk, she died minutes later in her cell.

"They thought she was a drug seeker," an officer said in a Los Angeles Times report.

However, an autopsy report found no drugs in Brown's system. Instead, they found blood clots in her legs and lungs that went untreated by doctors.

According to an investigation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Brown first visited St. Mary's on Sept. 20 with a swollen ankle. During her seven-hour stay she was given ultrasounds on both legs, which reportedly came back negative for blood clots. The investigation also revealed that the 29-year-old mother of two returned twice more to St. Mary's, and refused to leave on the final visit.

This is gross negligence on the part of that hospital. But racially motivated? Probably not. My former sister-in-law died from a massive heart attack (she had a known history of heart disease) after being ignored because she was under arrest. She was a 42 year old white woman. I hope Anna Brown's family sues their socks off as my SIL's family should have done.

[AnotherSinner]

Link: http://global.christ...r-arrest-72377/

Was disgusted, how can any hospital deny a woman who urgently seeks help continuously based off a stereotype? This is a good example of the damage labels and assumptions can do. It can cost someone their life if misplaced! There are other articles, and so far...they do not read much differently. Really disappointed with today's hospitals. Had a cousin -in- law recently try to get her one year old boy treated for a returning 105.6 degree fever and the response she got was "Bring him back when he has a seizure." Her jaw dropped, as did mine upon hearing it. She however, did not give up...and went to another hospital to find that her son's aeorta pumps backward! Had she not gotten him in to this other hospital...I am cringing at the thought of what might have been. Either way...this story is really an eye opener at just how much prayer is needed. My apologies for any offense I may cause, it is not my intent.

STORY:

A 29-year-old Missouri woman died in a jail cell after local hospital staff told police that she was trespassing for complaining about continual pain after receiving a clean bill of health. After community residents spoke about potential racial profiling being at play, the hospital staff recently defended the way they treated the African-American woman, identified as Anna Brown.

On Sept. 21, a homeless Brown refused to leave the St. Mary's Health Center emergency room in Richmond Heights, Mo., after complaining about pain in her legs that kept her from walking. However, the hospital staff called the police, who believed that she might have been on drugs and arrested her for trespassing.

Brown had already been examined before police were called to the scene and doctors said she was healthy enough to be taken to jail. After police reportedly dragged the 29-year-old to jail by her hands and feet, because she could not walk, she died minutes later in her cell.

"They thought she was a drug seeker," an officer said in a Los Angeles Times report.

However, an autopsy report found no drugs in Brown's system. Instead, they found blood clots in her legs and lungs that went untreated by doctors.

According to an investigation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Brown first visited St. Mary's on Sept. 20 with a swollen ankle. During her seven-hour stay she was given ultrasounds on both legs, which reportedly came back negative for blood clots. The investigation also revealed that the 29-year-old mother of two returned twice more to St. Mary's, and refused to leave on the final visit.

This is gross negligence on the part of that hospital. But racially motivated? Probably not. My former sister-in-law died from a massive heart attack (she had a known history of heart disease) after being ignored because she was under arrest. She was a 42 year old white woman. I hope Anna Brown's family sues their socks off as my SIL's family should have done.

I agree, do not think it was so much a racial issue at all. It was pure negligence. Sad too, she had two children and I worry for them. The stereotype I was referencing is the quick conclusion that because she was homeless, or not financially well off, the conclusion drawn was that she was a drug addict. Just thought I might clarify.

Edited March 31, 2012 by AnotherSinner

[LCE635]

That is a danger that all of us health care professionals face. I worked as an RN in the Er for 5 years. We become insensitive and judgmental with time. I left the ER and so help me God will never go back. I did not like the person that I became.

[ayin jade]

If she had that many blood clots in her legs and lungs, Im not sure she would have survived anyway had she been admitted to the hospital.

By law, she MUST be treated before being released/ removed from the hospital, regardless of income. (Which is why hospitals in Arizona are facing bankruptcy issues, from treating all the illegals for free, but thats another story.) Either the hospital broke the law in not evaluating her, or they did evaluate her medically and saw nothing. Sometimes that happens, where they cannot find anything wrong.

[nebula]

Brown had already been examined before police were called to the scene...

According to an investigation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Brown first visited St. Mary's on Sept. 20 with a swollen ankle. During her seven-hour stay she was given ultrasounds on both legs, which reportedly came back negative for blood clots.

Now that is odd.

LCE and Jade -

What do you make of this?

[ayin jade]

Ok, I will likely get blasted for this ...

But there are many folks who come in complaining of pain, who do not have anything that can be seen medically wrong with them, and they do it just to get narcotics. Medical people watch for this in all races not just black people.

Now I dont think she was doing drug seeking behavior. Obviously she had valid medical issues. Im guessing that the doc looked at her, saw a recent (last sept) ultrasound to look for clots which was negative, and didnt find anything more wrong with her. So he possibly assumed drug seeking behavior and released her. After all, she had been checked 3 other times already.

29 yr old women dont typically get blood clots, altho it can happen. My cousin almost died from one in her 20s and only got treated because she was a nurse and knew she shouldnt be released. She fought to get treated herself. She is white btw.

Sometimes people die despite treatment or going to the ER. Has nothing to do with race. (I know of a white woman who was seen in the hospital er for breathing issues and collapsed a few hours after being released, with severe pneumonia.) There is a racially tense climate now that is quick to claim racism where none exists.

[AnotherSinner]

Ok, I will likely get blasted for this ...

But there are many folks who come in complaining of pain, who do not have anything that can be seen medically wrong with them, and they do it just to get narcotics. Medical people watch for this in all races not just black people.

Now I dont think she was doing drug seeking behavior. Obviously she had valid medical issues. Im guessing that the doc looked at her, saw a recent (last sept) ultrasound to look for clots which was negative, and didnt find anything more wrong with her. So he possibly assumed drug seeking behavior and released her. After all, she had been checked 3 other times already.

29 yr old women dont typically get blood clots, altho it can happen. My cousin almost died from one in her 20s and only got treated because she was a nurse and knew she shouldnt be released. She fought to get treated herself. She is white btw.

Sometimes people die despite treatment or going to the ER. Has nothing to do with race. (I know of a white woman who was seen in the hospital er for breathing issues and collapsed a few hours after being released, with severe pneumonia.) There is a racially tense climate now that is quick to claim racism where none exists.

Agreed Ayin, just disappointed because this is the second case I have heard of doctors turning the needy out in this past week. First death out of the two instances. Still....if we keep jumping to these conclusions more people who urgently need care are not going to get it. Thank you for your input though Ayin, cause these things DO happen. Just pains me that she knew something was wrong and could not get help.

Edited March 31, 2012 by AnotherSinner

[MorningGlory]

Link: http://global.christ...r-arrest-72377/

Was disgusted, how can any hospital deny a woman who urgently seeks help continuously based off a stereotype? This is a good example of the damage labels and assumptions can do. It can cost someone their life if misplaced! There are other articles, and so far...they do not read much differently. Really disappointed with today's hospitals. Had a cousin -in- law recently try to get her one year old boy treated for a returning 105.6 degree fever and the response she got was "Bring him back when he has a seizure." Her jaw dropped, as did mine upon hearing it. She however, did not give up...and went to another hospital to find that her son's aeorta pumps backward! Had she not gotten him in to this other hospital...I am cringing at the thought of what might have been. Either way...this story is really an eye opener at just how much prayer is needed. My apologies for any offense I may cause, it is not my intent.

STORY:

A 29-year-old Missouri woman died in a jail cell after local hospital staff told police that she was trespassing for complaining about continual pain after receiving a clean bill of health. After community residents spoke about potential racial profiling being at play, the hospital staff recently defended the way they treated the African-American woman, identified as Anna Brown.

On Sept. 21, a homeless Brown refused to leave the St. Mary's Health Center emergency room in Richmond Heights, Mo., after complaining about pain in her legs that kept her from walking. However, the hospital staff called the police, who believed that she might have been on drugs and arrested her for trespassing.

Brown had already been examined before police were called to the scene and doctors said she was healthy enough to be taken to jail. After police reportedly dragged the 29-year-old to jail by her hands and feet, because she could not walk, she died minutes later in her cell.

"They thought she was a drug seeker," an officer said in a Los Angeles Times report.

However, an autopsy report found no drugs in Brown's system. Instead, they found blood clots in her legs and lungs that went untreated by doctors.

According to an investigation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Brown first visited St. Mary's on Sept. 20 with a swollen ankle. During her seven-hour stay she was given ultrasounds on both legs, which reportedly came back negative for blood clots. The investigation also revealed that the 29-year-old mother of two returned twice more to St. Mary's, and refused to leave on the final visit.

This is gross negligence on the part of that hospital. But racially motivated? Probably not. My former sister-in-law died from a massive heart attack (she had a known history of heart disease) after being ignored because she was under arrest. She was a 42 year old white woman. I hope Anna Brown's family sues their socks off as my SIL's family should have done.

I agree, do not think it was so much a racial issue at all. It was pure negligence. Sad too, she had two children and I worry for them. The stereotype I was referencing is the quick conclusion that because she was homeless, or not financially well off, the conclusion drawn was that she was a drug addict. Just thought I might clarify.

You may have a valid point there, A.S.

[winsomebulldog]

In recent years, I can't think of any instances where I've personally witnessed the sad consequences of the snap-judgments that some medical professionals tend to make. And I have a lot of respect for the medical profession. My sister was a RN who worked hospice until being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer herself. Yet, I am still amazed at the times that I HAVE witnessed horrific behavior from doctors. The first that comes to mind was my own mother. She had been sick for a few days and early on a Saturday morning I found her collapsed on the bathroom floor. When we took her to her doctor (she refused to go the ER) he basically seemed to think she was overreacting. He was completely oblivious to her pain. And she was in so much pain that she could not sit still. I was 17 and he walked by the exam room, saw me rubbing her back, and told me with the same offhanded manner in which he might discuss the weather outside that I probably shouldn't rub her back like that because if she had a blood clot I could dislodge it and kill her. Then, as she cried in pain, he stood outside the door and joked about his golf game. He eventually sent us over to the hospital to have xrays done, which revealed that she had a viral infection of her lungs. It wound up killing her within a few days. I doubt he could have done anything different to save her, nor would rushing her straight to the ER likely have changed the ultimate outcome, but his behavior is something that has stayed with me for decades.

Then there was my sister who died in 2001. She became anemic at one point and we had to take her to the hospital to be admitted so she could receive transfusions. They also took the opportunity to do additional scans to check on the status of her cancers. (She had it in her lungs, leg, and brain.) The next morning, a couple of doctors came into her room while making rounds. They talked a bit about the transfusions, then I asked about the results of the scans and one of them breezily said, "Oh, it's still there, getting bigger." My sister, being a RN, had no delusions about the most likely result of her cancer, but the way that man said that was beyond offensive. I would have followed him from her room to tell him so, but she broke down seconds after they walked out the door and I stayed with her to provide comfort.

Finally, there's my mother-in-law, who also had cancer. This was just five years ago. She was diagnosed with a grade III GBM (brain cancer). Another terminal cancer. We learned early on that she had an allergy - with potentially deadly side effects - to a specific seizure medication. So, when she had a setback caused by the onset of seizures, she was admitted to the hospital via the ER. While there, the admitting nurse placed a bright orange band on her wrist with the name of the med she could not take written on it. I also know for a fact, as I was standing there when the nurse wrote it, that this allergy was written in her chart. Yet, a few minutes later a doctor showed up, ordered a few tests, and then issued an order to give her the exact medication that had the potential to kill her. When I looked at her like she was insane and told her she couldn't do that, she gave me that haughty look some doctors get when anyone dares to disagree with them, and asked me why not. I pointed to the orange band on my mother-in-law's wrist. The doctor didn't even have the decency to apologize. She just huffed and ordered a different med. A few days later, we went through a similar situation with the neurology department when they gave her WAY too much of a medication that literally made her catatonic. I'd taken that med myself and knew that even when started at a very low dose and slowly titrated up to an effective dosage, it was so strong that it would make a person exhausted. They started her on a dose that was higher than anything I ever reached even after months of titration. I kept telling them she was being overdosed, but they'd decided that she was merely at death's door and their solution was for us to basically just take her home and wait for her to die. It took a call to her neurosurgeon late one evening after he'd already left to go home, and on the eve of them literally kicking us out of the hospital, to get the situation dealt with. When we told him what was going on, he was furious. He made a call to the head of the neurology department, demanding that they back the dosage way down. He flat out said she was being overdosed. And sure enough, when they dropped that dosage she woke right up and was fine. She lived several more months before the cancer finally killed her.

I don't mean this to come across as some kind of indictment against the medical profession as a whole. I simply think we all need to be aware that it is up to us to be our own medical advocates. Doctors, nurses, and hospitals are far from infallible. They make mistakes that sadly, in my experience, they rarely are willing to admit to. Even with the neurosurgeon telling us and them that they'd overdosed my mother-in-law, the head of the neurology department would go no further than to call the situation a "misunderstanding."

I realize that medical lawsuits are a dime a dozen these days, and that a lot of people out there are just looking for a reason to sue. I also realize that sometimes, things slip through the cracks. Real, serious, even life-threatening conditions and illnesses get missed or misdiagnosed, not always because of malpractice or negligence, but simply because of circumstance. And in the specific case mentioned in the OP, I know racial discrimination has been claimed, though I don't think that's the case. I think that hospitals, especially ERs are often overwhelmed and understaffed. In larger cities, they're literally bombarded by droves of drug seekers and homeless people just hoping to find a warm spot to sleep in the winter, or a cool spot in the summer. It's a problem. But I also believe that many doctors are trained to at least behave as though they are incapable of being wrong. Maybe it takes that kind of ego to make it through the training, though I've certainly met more than a few doctors who weren't ego-maniacs. In the end, I think that it's very sad that as patients, or loved-ones of patients, we often have very little recourse when faced with a situation where we KNOW something is wrong but have a doctor who's dismissing our concerns. Even those of us who aren't burdened with the additional handicap of being homeless too often see our concerns "brushed aside" by a doctor who thinks they have all the answers. I've had good doctors through my own cancer battle, but even with them, there have been times when I've felt the need to "pin them down" about one issue or another. My husband's parents came from that generation that was raised to believe that doctors were always right. He and I are very much of the "prove to me why I should trust you" ilk.

It's terribly tragic that this poor woman died because no one would take her complaints seriously. I don't know enough details about every aspect of the case to offer an opinion about whether or not the doctors and hospital should be sued over it. I do know that there's a disturbing lack of accountability within the medical profession. The fact that doctors are not required to tell patients about mistakes they've made is evidence enough of that. Then again, I can't imagine doing some of the things these people do (incredibly delicate surgeries on the brain, etc.) and living every single day knowing that virtually any patient who isn't happy with the result might choose to sue you for it. Worse, juries hand out judgements based less on the truth and more on their own personal thoughts. (I've lost count of how many times I've seen reports of people winning lawsuits based on injuries that are results of their own idiocy and nothing more.) But that's an entirely different discussion altogether.

Basically, this was a terribly tragic outcome where I doubt anyone would claim that things couldn't have been handled better. I hope the doctor who rejected her, who had the police called is feeling the weight of her death. Not because I think they deserve to suffer, but because I hope the rigors of working in the ER haven't so hardened them that they're able to brush the tragic outcome off without a thought. Maybe the next homeless person who comes into the ER will get a bit more time and consideration. Other than that, I can only say my heart breaks for the woman's children. They're the ones who have been the most harmed by all of it.