Did Medical Misdiagnosis Kill a Seven-Year-Old Girl in NYC Hospital?

A seven-year-old girl died at the Brooklyn based Woodhull Hospital in 2018 following an alleged medical misdiagnosis. A'Mari Murriel-Johnson’s mother believes that the hospital and the doctor were directly responsible for her daughter's death because her condition worsened due to the “doctor’s negligence.”

Medical Malpractice and Murriel-Johnson’s Death

A’Mari Murriel-Johnson died at the same hospital where she was born seven years ago. Her heartbroken mother, Kareema Murriel, spoke about how her only daughter died because the doctors responsible for treating her failed to consider her medical history. 

Murriel alleged that her daughter died of strep throat that had developed into deadly pneumonia due to the lack of diagnosis and treatment. Had the doctor diagnosed the condition, Johnson could have survived, she said. The mother’s legal representatives later sent the NYC Department of Health a formal request to investigate the case and conduct a detailed review of how the hospital handled Murriel-Johnson's case.

Kareema revealed that her daughter returned from school with a fever and sore throat. She took her daughter to the hospital and notified the staff that Murriel-Johnson had suffered from a strep infection back in 2016 and 2017. The doctor denied her requests for a strep test, rudely emphasizing that it was not strep, but the common flu that was circulating among most of the children admitted to the hospital at that time.

Kareema then asked another doctor to do the test, and the necessary cultures were taken. Her daughter was given Tamiflu and sent home. A few days later, Murriel-Johnson’s condition worsened, and she reportedly suffered a great deal of pain and breathlessness. The mother was again told by the hospital staff that the girl had flu. But, the strep results came back positive. 

Before Murriel-Johnson could be shifted to another hospital specializing in treating her condition, as suggested by the Woodhull nurses, she succumbed to her illness on Jan. 14, 2018.

Medical malpractice in NYC causes hundreds of deaths every year. The death of Murriel-Johnson could have been prevented with timely diagnosis and treatment. It was gross negligence on behalf of the hospital staff that Kareema lost her only daughter. 

Losing a loved one because of medical mistakes and malpractices by the people you trust and go to when health problems arise is undoubtedly painful. Nothing can bring back your loved one, but you can seek justice for the deceased by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the people and hospital responsible for the death of your loved one. 

The Legal Aspect

A good medical malpractice lawyer will have the necessary experience, knowledge, and contacts to file a strong lawsuit, gather evidence, and present strong arguments in the court to win your case. 

Be sure to always do your research and hire only an experienced medical malpractice attorney specializing in your specific case. A good medical negligence lawyer will walk you through the entire process of filing a lawsuit, answer your questions, address your concerns, and tell you whether your pieces of evidence are strong enough to win the case. Get in touch with us today by calling us at 212-344-1000. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us today!