A North Carolina mom is suing a security firm whose guards are accused of forcibly removing her son from a hospital even though he was allegedly dying -- or possibly already dead.
Deborah Washington claims security guards at Cumberland County Hospital took her son to the hospital's lobby, moved him from his wheelchair into a waiting taxi, and buckled him up even though he was at the very least gravely ill.
In the lawsuit against AlliedBurton Security Services and as reported on CourtHouseNews.com, it's alleged that a hospital nurse called for security to "escort Mr. Washington from his hospital bed to the lobby for discharge because Mr. Washington was allegedly "uncooperative" and "refusing to talk or move." A'Darrin Washington's mother claims he wasn't cooperating "due to the fact that he was dying."
The complaint goes on to claim that at least two hospital staff members expressed concern over her son's treatment and that even the taxi driver was worried that his new passenger was dead.
Washington claims that after her son was put into the taxi for the ride home, he remained unconscious for the entire trip and when he arrived at his destination he was found to be "unresponsive and cold to the touch."
To make matters even worse, Deborah Washington is claiming her son's body was then "left in the taxi in the front yard for four hours while police investigated."
The lawsuit states that A'Darrin Washington had been suffering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and was being treated for fungal pneumonia at his most recent stay at the facility.
Deborah Washington is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for negligence, wrongful death and emotional distress.
