Mother blames Tampa General Hospital for suicide

Mother blames Tampa General for suicide
By Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer
In print: Wednesday, August 13, 2008


TAMPA — The mother of one of the patients who committed suicide last month at Tampa General Hospital's psychiatric unit considers the hospital responsible for her daughter's death, her attorney said Tuesday.

The 44-year-old woman died July 21, three days after she checked herself into the hospital because she was having suicidal thoughts, according to a Hillsborough County medical examiner's report.

The woman fashioned her bedsheet into a noose and hanged herself from a door. Two days later, another psychiatric patient — a 28-year-old man — did the same thing, dying the following day.

Attorney Michael Trentalange said Tuesday there is little doubt in his client's mind that the hospital failed to do its job on behalf of her daughter.
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