NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The family of an East Haven man is filing a lawsuit against Yale New Haven Hospital after he died while in their care.
More than a year later, questions still remain surrounding the death of 23-year-old William Miller, or Billy as his family called him.
The family alleges he was left unattended for 7 hours at the hospital and was later found brain dead, despite appearing to be alert when he was brought in.
“He was found in cardiac arrest. Why? How is this possible," Tina Darnsteadt, Billy's mother, said. "He’d be here today if he was monitored and if they saw that the fentanyl was taking over his body."
The family filed a lawsuit against Yale New Haven Hospital this month seeking damages for his death.
“He had his whole life ahead of him and that was taken from him," Billy's sister, Rebecca Miller, said.
On May 10, 2021, emergency responders administered Naloxone to Billy after he ingested a white substance that he suspected was laced with fentanyl at a gathering, according to the complaint filed with New Haven Superior Court.
Bodycam footage, shared with FOX61 by the attorney, shows Billy walking and talking with EMS after the naloxone treated for he overdose. He was then taken to the hospital.
The lawsuit claims he was brought in just after 7 p.m. and wasn’t checked up on until just before 2 a.m. when a staff member found him without a pulse.
“This is a case of medical abandonment so it's a case where somebody shows up in an Emergency Room with a very treatable condition. They are never given a doctor, never given a nurse, receive no treatment whatsoever," said Sean McElligott, an attorney with Silver Golub and Teitell LLP who is representing the family in the case. "We want to know why and how does this happen at a level one trauma center. How does this happen at a place like Yale New Haven Hospital?"
In a statement to FOX61 News, Yale New Haven Health's Director of Public Relations and Communications Dana Marnane said:
“Yale New Haven Hospital is aware of this lawsuit and is committed to providing the safest and highest quality of care possible. However, even in the best organizations gaps in care may occur. When they do, our goal is to acknowledge them, learn from them, and ensure that we minimize any chance that they ever occur again. We have offered our sincere apologies to the family of the patient and are working towards a resolution.”
The family is pushing for change and encouraging others to advocate for their loved one's medical care to make sure no one else experiences the kind of pain they've gone through.
Elisha Machado is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at emachado@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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