BOSTON (AP) – The Massachusetts hospital under scrutiny for releasing a man who hours later fatally stabbed two people and injured several others says state policy that governs the way it handles psychiatric patients is “misguided.”
The family of Arthur DaRosa says he was depressed and suicidal when he was admitted to Morton Hospital in Taunton on Monday. He was released Tuesday morning and that evening fatally stabbed an 80-year-old woman in her home and a 56-year-old teacher dining out with his wife.
Morton spokeswoman Julie Masci said in a statement the hospital is barred by federal law from acknowledging patient names or disclosing patient information.
The statement said the “current policy mandating that the evaluation process must be carried out by a third party state contractor is misguided,” and if the state-contracted agency responsible for conducting evaluations had requested admission to a psychiatric bed, there were beds available.