CALHOUN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A judge has ruled in favor of Calhoun-Liberty Hospital and its employees for most claims in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Barbara Dawson.
She died in 2015 from a blood clot after collapsing while handcuffed under the watch of a police officer at the hospital.
A judge sided with the hospital on charges of false imprisonment, battery and wrongful death, but there's one claim that will go to trial, whether the hospital failed to provide Dawson with emergency care.
Dawson went to the hospital's emergency room in December 2015, complaining of shortness of breath. After refusing to leave, the hospital called Blountstown Police.
The dash cam video of the police car that responded was made public by Dawson's family, where you can hear her saying she couldn't breathe and eventually see employees carrying her into the hospital on a gurney.
A hospital spokesperson issued this statement:
"We appreciate that the court continues to move this matter closer to resolution. Our hospital remains committed to providing an excellent standard of care for our community."
The officer involved was cleared of any wrongdoing in May 2016 by the state attorney's office. The police chief tells WTXL the officer handled the call the best way he could.
That officer has since moved on to work for an agency in Tallahassee.
The Blountstown Police Department issued this statement:
"On July 10, 2017, U.S District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed all civil lawsuits pending against the city of Blountstown Police Department and all involved officers stemming from the death of Barbara Dawson at the Calhoun-Liberty Hospital on December 21, 2015."
