WAUKEGAN, Ill. – A 28-year-old woman was found unresponsive and suffering from hypothermia on the second-floor roof of Vista East Medical Center last week. She died several hours later.
Chelsea Adolphus was admitted to the facility for alcohol rehabilitation at about 4 a.m. on January 22. Security cameras show that she left her room on January 23 at about 2 a.m. Adolphus was found by another patient or patient family member at about 8:45 a.m., reports WBN9. She was taken to the hospital’s emergency room and pronounced dead about 14 hours later. The preliminary cause of death was listed as hypothermia, reports NBCChicago.
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Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the door to the roof locked behind Adolphus as she accessed the roof, and the door did not have an alarm. The patient was only wearing a hospital gown, and when she was discovered, her body temperature was about 55 degrees.
Vista East Medical Center Lost Its Trauma Designation Last Year
Banek, who was previously an employee of Vista East Medical Center, criticized the facility, citing the fact that it lost its trauma designation last year, reports ABC7Chicago. The designation was revoked by the state for not having appropriate blood supply and clinical staff available.
Additionally, Adolphus’ death happened just two weeks after Vista Health System announced it was furloughing 69 workers at Vista East Medical Center due to financial issues, reports Lake & McHenry County Scanner. Many of those furloughed employees were sitters who monitor vulnerable patients.
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“American Healthcare Systems must be held accountable to provide safe, quality healthcare to Waukegan and its surrounding communities,” Banek said. “It has repeatedly fallen short by failing to meet its financial obligations to vendors, clinical providers, the City of Waukegan for its water bill, in addition, to $1M owed in back taxes. Accidental loss of life because of lack of appropriate basic safety measures cannot happen again.”
In a statement, Vista East extended condolences to Adolphus’ family but would not comment further due to the matter still being investigated.
Her family has hired an attorney and is considering filing a lawsuit.