Updated:
Nashville, Tenn. (Jen French)—A mother is taking the City of Nashville to court after she says Nashville firefighters and medics let her son die.
According to court documents filed Monday at Davidson County Circuit Court, Juanita King claims her 32-year-old son Antonio Foster was still breathing for 90 minutes after he shot himself in the head.
A Metro Police report reveals after a night of drinking on August 13, 2014, Jason Carter and his roommate Foster returned to their Hermitage townhome on Tulip Grove Road. At approximately 3:02 AM Carter heard a “pop” and discovered Foster had shot himself. Carter called 911.
Captain Joshua Alexander, Engineer/EMT Mark Malone, Firefighter/Paramedic Jason Amburgey, Firefighter/EMT Matthew Mangrum, Firefighter/EMT Michael Felts, Paramedic Justin Shelby, EMT Donna Faircloth, and Acting EMS District Chief Billy Crawford responded to the attempted suicide.
The eight arrived on scene within six minutes and began resuscitation efforts, but didn’t take Foster to the hospital at first because they classified his gunshot wound as an “un-survivable injury.” A Metro Police report states Vanderbilt Hospital told the medics to “not transport Foster.”
The lawsuit states at 5:06 AM—90 minutes later—the eight first responders were called back to the scene because Foster was still alive and breathing. Foster made it to the hospital, but he died later that day.
Alexander, Malone, Amburgey, Mangrum, Felts, Shelby, Faircloth and Crawford still work for the city. Though the eight were put on administrative leave during the internal investigation, Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Brian Haas told FOX 17 they were not disciplined.
In August 2014, Nashville Fire Department spokespeople told FOX 17 that the eight followed protocol and did nothing wrong when they left Foster because he had an “un-survivable injury.”
In response, the Nashville Fire Department has changed its procedures.
“That protocol is going to be reviewed and clarified based on this incident,” Medical director Corey Slovis said in August 2014.
Medics must row rush a patient who is still breathing to the hospital.
Haas said the fire department is unable to comment on on-going litigation.
DOWNLOAD OUR APPS:NEWS: iPhone/iPad | AndroidWEATHER: iPhone | iPad | Android MORNING: iPhone/iPad | Android
Follow us on Twitter @wztv_fox17 and LIKE us on Facebook for updates.
Source: fox17
Recent Comments