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Tennessee hospital says treatment, discharge of woman who died was appropriate

FILE - This image provided by the Knoxville Police Department shows police video footage from the Feb. 5, 2023 arrest of Lisa Edwards, who later died at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee hospital said it gave appropriate medical treatment to Edwards, who died after being discharged, but would change some of its security procedures, according to findings from an internal investigation released Tuesday, April 4. (Knoxville Police Department via AP, File)
FILE - This image provided by the Knoxville Police Department shows police video footage from the Feb. 5, 2023 arrest of Lisa Edwards, who later died at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee hospital said it gave appropriate medical treatment to Edwards, who died after being discharged, but would change some of its security procedures, according to findings from an internal investigation released Tuesday, April 4. (Knoxville Police Department via AP, File) FILE - This image provided by the Knoxville Police Department shows police video footage from the Feb. 5, 2023 arrest of Lisa Edwards, who later died at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee hospital said it gave appropriate medical treatment to Edwards, who died after being discharged, but would change some of its security procedures, according to findings from an internal investigation released Tuesday, April 4. (Knoxville Police Department via AP, File)

By The Associated Press 2 min read

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A woman who died after being discharged from a Tennessee hospital and forced to leave despite her pleas for more help received appropriate medical treatment, the hospital said, but changes were being made to security procedures.

The findings from an internal investigation by Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville over its treatment of 60-year-old Lisa Edwards were released Tuesday, news outlets reported.

Security officers at the hospital called police Feb. 5 saying that Edwards had been evaluated and discharged, but was refusing to leave. Four responding police officers were investigated for repeatedly ignoring her pleas for help as they accused her of faking illness.

The Knox County District Attorney’s office said it would not press criminal charges against the officers after an autopsy determined that Edwards died of a stroke and that “at no time did law enforcement interaction cause or contribute to Ms. Edwards’ death.”

A video released by police showed officers struggle for about 25 minutes to move Edwards into a police van and finally a cruiser. Edwards repeatedly asks for help but is rebuffed by officers and hospital security guards who become frustrated with her inability to step up into the van and tell her she is faking her incapacity.