Wrongful death lawsuit filed after restrained hospital patient dies of cardiac arrest
A hospital in Connecticut is being sued by the son of a patient who died after spending a night restrained by clinicians at the facility.
Chauncey Smith, 20, said his mother, Gay Sherman Weintz, 55, was the victim of medical negligence that led to her death while at Middlesex Hospital.
According to the lawsuit, Weintz arrived at the hospital by ambulance, suffering from delirium. Her family sent her to the ER after a rapid change in her mental health. The family alleges that physicians at the facility restrained her for over 24 hours, ignoring alerts and vital signs that suggested she was experiencing a medical crisis.
She was placed in leg and arm restraints, and given a netted bed, the lawsuit claims. At some point during her 24+ hour stay, Weintz’s blood pressure and heart rate became dangerously elevated. Hours later, she died from cardiac arrest.
Smith accuses hospital staff of failing to monitor her vitals and provide adequate emergency care, despite orders from the hospital sitter that she be under constant observation. He believes nurses and doctors on staff treated her condition as a psychiatric episode, not a medical event, resulting in her sudden death.
The incident happened in April 2024. The hospital allegedly restrained her, believing she was at risk of self harm. Smith believes the restraints contributed to her rapidly diminishing condition. He claims the hospital was not forthcoming about the measures it was taking to subdue her, adding that the hospital failed to ensure Weintz was physically healthy.
In a statement on the 28-page wrongful death lawsuit, a spokesperson for Middlesex Health declined to comment when News 8 launched an investigation.
“Middlesex Health does not comment on pending litigation. As expressed in our mission statement, Middlesex Health exists to provide the safest, highest-quality health care and the best experience possible for our community,” the spokesperson said.
The case has yet to be litigated in front of a judge.
For more details, read the full feature from News 8 at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.