In April 2023, Darryl Fussell II, a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia, was on an involuntary hold at the hospital. He managed to escape the hospital and was found hours later by the local police department at a construction site. Mr. Fussell grabbed a pair of scissors from a toolbox and approached police with it. An officer on the scene fired five shots at Mr. Fussell and he died on scene, according to the report.
Mr. Fussell’s family is suing for nursing malpractice, negligence and wrongful death. The family has also sued RiverWoods Behavioral Health, the initial facility that transferred Mr. Fussell to the hospital.
“Southern Regional Medical Center places health and well-being of our patients and staff as top priorities and is in compliance with state and federal standards,” a hospital spokesperson told Becker’s. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Fussell family during this time. Southern Regional Medical Center denies all allegations of wrongdoing. Due to patient privacy and because this is an active legal matter, we cannot provide any additional information.”
Mr. Fussell is one of at least 44 patients who have been reported missing from the hospital in the last three years, according to Clayton County records. At least 28 were psychiatric patients on involuntary holds, an Atlanta News analysis found.
Southern Regional Medical Center was inspected by HHS in 2023 and was put in immediate jeopardy after the death of a psychiatric patient. The inspectors said there was only one nurse on shift for the unit at the time.
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