The family of Patrice Wilson, a nurse who was kidnapped outside of Detroit Medical Center — where she was employed — and later found dead, is suing the hospital and Tenet Healthcare for $200 million, Fox 2 Detroit reported July 31.
The family alleges that Tenet and Detroit Medical Center failed to follow active shooter protocol and delayed contacting the police, which contributed to the 29-year-old's death.
On May 13, Ms. Wilson was seen being abducted in the parking lot where a man entered her vehicle and forced her to leave, police said. The search for Ms. Wilson began shortly after, and her body was found later that day in an SUV outside an apartment complex. She had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Her ex-boyfriend Jamere Miller was charged in connection with the carjacking and slaying.
According to the law firm Spectrum Legal Services, Wilson's family believes the hospital's failure to respond was racially motivated. A statement said security was informed of the attack before the shooting but failed to act. It also alleges security personnel was not at their station when a witness saw the abduction and went to report it to staff.
"Other co-workers were getting off work, and I told them to be careful. They searched and found security," Leisha Williams, a nurse who witnessed the shooting, said in a news release shared with Fox 2 Detroit. "By the time security came, he had pulled off. They did not place the hospital on lockdown."
The suit cites a lack of security and broken cameras as alleged negligence.
"The system failed her. If they (security) would have been on duty, they would have come out to question why he was standing around. They heard the shot; why didn’t nobody come out?" Pamela Golden, grandmother of the victim, told Fox 2 Detroit. "Policies must change. It's not going to bring Patrice back, but maybe it can help someone else."
A Detroit Medical Center spokesperson shared the following statement with Fox 2 Detroit Aug. 1:
"The DMC stands behind our security team, who acted swiftly to notify and engage local law enforcement to apprehend the assailant. We continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement as they prosecute this individual for the crime committed. We cannot comment on pending litigation.
"We remain committed to providing a safe workplace environment for our staff with appropriate security measures in place. The DMC is also providing resources to help staff process the loss that occurred. We hope the criminal justice system takes the appropriate actions and sends a message to our community that domestic violence will not be tolerated."
Tenet Healthcare is based in Dallas.
Becker's has reached out for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available.