Florida woman dies after being forcibly removed from hospital by police (Florida)

Chicago Tribune ^ | 12-22-15 | unknown

[windcliff]

A woman who refused to leave a hospital when doctors discharged her died after she was forcibly removed by police, authorities said Tuesday.

Barbara Dawson, 57, collapsed Monday while being escorted in handcuffs from the Liberty Calhoun Hospital, where she went to seek treatment for breathing difficulties, said Blountstown Police Department chief Mark Mallory. Mallory said an officer had arrested Dawson for disorderly conduct and trespassing.

An autopsy on Dawson has been performed and the results should be released Wednesday, Mallory said. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials have been called in to investigate, department spokesman Steve Arthur said. He declined to comment further.

Mallory said that the officer who arrested Dawson removed the handcuffs after she collapsed and escorted her back into the hospital.

Hospital officials did not return telephone calls Tuesday night. Ruth Attaway, administrator and CEO of the hospital, was quoted by The Tallahassee Democrat as saying that staff did everything they could to save Dawson.

While doctors initially thought Dawson was stable and should be released, she felt like she was still having breathing issues and wanted to stay, said Tallahassee attorney Daryl Parks, who is representing Dawson's family.

"The most reasonable thing to do is to let her sit there and be able to settle down until she felt well. Instead, she is forcibly removed and put in cuffs," Parks said. "The early facts of this case should cause a great concern for everyone."

The Calhoun-Liberty County chapter of the NAACP held an emergency meeting on Tuesday. Dale R. Landry, who is the regional vice president for the Florida State chapter of the NAACP, met with local leaders and the family.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

That’s gonna cost ‘em.

[SatinDoll]

I would guess she is black and has no medical insurance.

[Scrambler Bob]

bo-care policy?

[Kirkwood]

Usually hospitals want to keep you to make more money.

[blackdog]

Obamacare?

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

A twofer. Sue the hospital and the cops.

[bramps]

The Calhoun-Liberty County chapter of the NAACP held an emergency meeting on Tuesday. Dale R. Landry, who is the regional vice president for the Florida State chapter of the NAACP, met with local leaders and the family.
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It’s just so damn pathetic that these are the knee jerk reactions in all cases involving a black person. I feel for any loved ones but credibility left when the NAACP showed up.

[fatnotlazy]

I looked at a street view of the hospital on Google Maps. Looks more like a clinic than a traditional hospital.

Maybe this is where the indigent are sent for their free health care.

[fatnotlazy]

That’s just it. If she was poor, the hospital wasn’t making any money on her.

[doc1019]

How can you sue the cops, they were doing their duty. Not being doctors they didn’t know she was still in need of medical aid. This falls entirely on the doctors that wanted her out of the Hospital.

[blackdog]

Policing is no longer a function of local government for the people. It has become a calamity of politics, municipal activism, psy-op training of the cops to abuse the public along with their dogs, and revenue generation.

Thirty years ago someone's loved ones would bitch-slap the cops and they should take it with an apology. That goes for the hospital too.

Hospitals don't even have rooms to admit anyone to anymore. They are all converted to offices for administration. Being admitted now means having a curtain around you with a nurses station in a centralized hub in the center point of the curtains.

[blackdog]

"How can you sue the cops, they were doing their duty."?

Maybe that "Protect and Serve" part might have something to do with it? Sheesh!

[Tired of Taxes]

These days, hospitals push people out early to free up beds for the next patients.

If you try to insist on staying in the hospital, they’ll make things very uncomfortable, for example yelling at you to get out. Try arguing with them, and they will call security.

It’s amazing that what happened to this poor woman doesn’t happen to more people.

[doc1019]

So, you think the “protect and serve” means they can determine the medical condition of someone being ejected by a hospital full of doctors that are kicking her out?

From the article I understand she was able to walk out just fine ... how were the police to know she was not fine?

Please.

[Moonman62]

This is a small hospital in a small town that is affiliated with Tallahassee Memorial. They have an emergency department open 24/7. They would serve everybody in the area.

[fatnotlazy]

Thank you for the info.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I have to say it doesn’t matter who you are or what your circumstances are that’s a pretty cold thing to do.

[PCPOET7]

my guess is that this hospital is going to have a big malpractice suit. this is not racial thing that happened this is a poor person with no insurance or underinsured with Medicaid.

[sport]

At one time, I thought that the police were there to “Protect and Serve�€ That silly notion was soon dispelled. They are there to collect and raise revenue for the State and control the peasants. I have learned through experience to keep a healthy distance between me and them. As one of them so eloquently phrased it, “ When I want your help, I will tell you!”