Wisconsin Hospital Kills Down Syndrome Teenager
The family of Grace Schara, a 19-year old resident of Town of Freedom, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, Wisconsin. Schara passed away in October of 2021 after being given a lethal combination of drugs and designated as DNR or “Do Not Resuscitate”.
St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton
On October 6, 2021, Grace was admitted to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton. She had tested positive for COVID five days earlier. Grace had Down Syndrome and was considered high functioning by her father. She possessed various skills such as reading, writing, and driving a car. Her father described her as loving and a great joke teller.
Scott shared the experience in which his older daughter, Jessica, advocated for her sister Grace at a hospital. She pleaded with hospital staff to save her sister explaining that the DNR was a mistake as her sister lay in her bed suffocating from a lethal dose of drugs given to her without her families consent. The hospital even went as far as to post a security guard at the door to thwart Jessica’s efforts until she argued that she was Grace’s patient advocate via the American Disabilities Act.
She felt her sister go cold at 6:15PM and Grace died at 7:27PM that very evening.
According to state law, patients who wish to have a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status must have written consent from their healthcare agent and wear a DNR bracelet. In Grace’s case, her mother Cindy did not provide consent and Grace was not wearing a DNR bracelet.
Scott and Cindy were not allowed to be with their daughter and requested resuscitation via Facetime. Despite their requests, the nursing staff did not comply, resulting in the patient’s death.
Her death certificate states she died of COVID-19, when no one one could have survived the lethal combination of drugs given her.
“We we’re giving them direction to resuscitate the patient, and they didn’t.” – Scott Schara
Our hearts go to the Schara famliy and wish them success in getting the justice they deserve.
If you have lost a loved one due to a negligent act of another party, contact our Appleton Wrongful Death attorney’s. We can help you get the justice you deserve.
Call us at (920) 363-0528 for a free consultation or fill out the form.
Reference:
Ellefson, M. (n.d.). Wisconsin Hospital Kills Down Syndrome Teenager. WSAU News/Talk 550 AM · 99.9 FM | Wausau, Stevens Point. https://wsau.com/2022/04/07/wisconsin-hospital-protocols-kill-19-year-old-downs-syndrome-girl/
