CW: Neglect
Phoenix, Arizona, Police are investigating after a woman says her quadriplegic son was thrown out of a wheelchair and onto the ground outside a major Valley hospital. The man’s family says he was experiencing issues with his urinary catheter. They say that the hospital did not adequately treat him. Instead, hospital staff put him in a park where hundreds of ants bit him.
Cessie Garcia’s son, 33-year-old Jesus Gomez, is seen on video lying on the ground outside the hospital. Garcia fought back tears when she discovered Gomez half-naked on the ground outside Valleywise Health’s Maryvale location. On June 14, Phoenix Fire Department paramedics transported Jesus to Valleywise. Garcia works as a caregiver for her son and others. Therefore she was unable to accompany him in the ambulance.
While Jesus was waiting, three security guards approached him and demanded his name, phone number, and address. Jesus says he was disoriented and in a lot of pain. He also has a brain injury and was unable to recall that information. That’s when, according to Jesus, three security officers started to push his wheelchair. When policemen and the fire captain questioned hospital employees, they reported that ‘Jesus refused treatment, got into a non-motorized wheelchair, and left the hospital alone.’
The paperwork further notes that the wheelchair has a safety lever on the rear that can only be disengaged by the person pushing the wheelchair from behind, making the likelihood of Jesus operating the wheelchair alone doubtful, let alone the fact that he is a quadriplegic.
The paperwork also states that the wheelchair was nowhere to be found, implying that it was moved back inside.
To make matters worse, this is believed to have happened during the summer heat. A homeless man living in the park where the man was reportedly abandoned, on the other hand, is being lauded as a hero.
According to the victim and police documents, the witness observed everything in front of him and allowed the victim to call his mother using his phone. He then sat and waited for her. The family says that they will take the matter to court.
There is no excuse for abusing, neglecting, or killing disabled people. Disabled people deserve to live a life free from abuse and neglect. The ordeal could have been potentially fatal for Jesus. Some of America’s most vulnerable citizens are those with disabilities.
Source:
Bennett, Stephanie. “Arizona Mom Accuses Valleywise Hospital of Neglecting Her Quadriplegic Son.” FOX 10 Phoenix, 28 July 2023, http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-mom-accuses-valleywise-hospital-of-neglecting-her-quadriplegic-son.