The family of a woman that died after suffering with delirium tremens, also known as the "DTs", while being remanded in police lockup after she failed to pass a Breathalyzer test during her normal probation hearing, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Berkley Police Department, as reported by the Detroit News.
According to the lawsuit, the descendent, L.K., 47, died in July 2010 because she was denied emergency medical care for several hours, though she had requested help from police officers.
The suit was filed on July 9 in Oakland County Circuit Court by L.K.'s two adult children.
Mark E. Boegehold is the attorney for the family.
Though known as a "chronic serious alcoholic" by the police and the courts, according to Boegehold, L.K.'s warnings to Officer D.G. – that she was concerned about experiencing the DTs – were completely ignored.
DT's can manifest with sudden and severe mental and nervous system changes that can also result in death.
The suit names the negligent parties as the police chief, officer D.G., and 14 other officers who many have been aware of L.K.'s medical needs.
Boegehold said, "From an internal investigation done by the department itself and also a review of the lockup death by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, we've got more questions than answers."
Boegehold added, "We know drunks will be locked up but we also know — or should know — drunks can't just go cold turkey and some drunks get the DTs, which can be fatal if not treated properly. As it turned out, they gave her a death sentence."
L.K. was taken into custody at approximately 9:30 a.m. on July 12, 2010 for having a blood alcohol reading of .057 during her probation meeting. As drinking was a violation of her bond in a drinking-related case she was ordered held in a police lockup.
L.K. was to remain in the lockup until the following day at which time she was scheduled to appear in court.
According to Boegehold, and police investigators, at approximately 11:00 that night L.K. told a police dispatcher that she had urinated on herself and said that she may be going through the DTs.
Investigators that reviewed a police video, that had been taped sometime around midnight, saw that L.K. appeared to have had a seizure. No action, according to the suit, was taken by the officers at that time.
Later that morning, at approximately 4:30 a.m., officers looked through L.K.'s cell window and saw a "flushed face consistent with alcohol withdrawal" but also failed to provide her aid. At 6:05 a.m. two officers looked in on her, again through the cell's window, and saw that her face and arm had turned purple.
An autopsy showed that the cause of death was alcohol withdrawal with related complications.
The suit seeks over $25,000 in damages.
Loosing a family member is never easy. However, if you have lost a loved one in a wrongful death situation, you can contact a personal injury lawyer to file a lawsuit and work to recover your damages.