Squatter patient refuses to leave hospital room five months after discharge, lawsuit claims

Despite being discharged over five months ago, a patient residing at a Florida hospital has decided to stay. The facility has filed a lawsuit, asking a court to evict her. 

According to a report from the Tallahassee Democrat, the unnamed woman was admitted to an inpatient room, where she continues to stay. However, staff at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare cleared her for discharge on Oct. 6, 2025. 

In early March, it officially filed a complaint with the court, requesting that a judge authorize the Leon County Sheriff's Office to remove the squatter and free up a critical hospital bed. 

"Tallahassee Memorial staff made repeated efforts to assist the defendant in safely completing discharge," the hospital wrote in its complaint. "Tallahassee Memorial offered assistance, including coordination with family members and offering non-emergency medical transportation to obtain necessary identification."

The line about “identification” appears to allude to a lack of official paperwork showing who the woman is, such as a driver’s license or passport. Often hospitals will require documentation to set up transportation or other services for a patient. 

The Tallahassee Democrat said it isn’t clear how common a situation like this is, where a patient simply refuses to leave and seemingly can’t be removed by security. The hospital declined to comment when asked, the outlet said. 

Reporters also confirmed they reached out to the patient, who did not answer any calls. 

Questions remain unanswered around such matters as how long the woman was in the hospital prior to discharge and if there are any common-law “squatters’ rights” that complicate the situation. 

According to the complaint, the hospital notified the patient a month after discharge that she had to leave, or legal action would be taken against her. That apparently did not convince her it was time to go.

Tallahassee Memorial told the court it needs that inpatient room and bed for other patients, and that it’s being forced to divert staff resources to attend to the woman who no longer needs care services.

"Tallahassee Memorial has limited inpatient beds," the lawsuit reads. "The defendant's continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care."

It’s unclear when the court will hear the case and issue a ruling. 

For more, read the full story from the Tallahassee Democrat at the link below.