Family sues Lakeshore Hospital after mother found dead on ER floor

A Montreal family has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the Lakeshore Hospital after their 86-year-old mother fell on the floor and died at the hospital allegedly without anyone noticing.

Candida Macarine died on Feb. 26, 2021, not long after she was admitted to the hospital with respiratory problems. Her children accepted the explanation that she died of heart failure.

But a CBC News report found that Macarine had in fact collapsed next to her bed, and was not found by staff until much later.

"I can't imagine how my mother felt that she had eight children, but not a single one was able to be there during her untimely death. I can't imagine the pain she endured that evening when she fell face down on the floor, said Macarine's daughter, Gilda Macarine.

Despite repeated requests for information, the family says they have yet to be informed about the circumstances of the woman's death. They say they can't even get the names of nurses and doctors on staff that day.

"We tried to contact them and nothing. They stonewalled us. None of the staff or the management reached out to us," said the deceased's son, Emmanuel Macarine.

After three years of going around in circles looking for answers, the family hired a lawyer to launch the civil suit. They feel it's the only way they'll get accountability and answers.

Lawyer Aymar Missakilalawyer claims the hospital was negligent in providing care, and adds it failed to disclose important information to the family. Three years after the woman's death, the family says they still can't move on because they can't get answers.

"I want to shout. I want to scream because I cannot accept it," Gilda said.

Late Thursday afternoon, the regional health board said it would not comment on specifics because of the litigation but said several improvements have been made since the tragedy to provide better supervision of new staff and a monitoring of patients every 15 minutes.