Family of nurse kidnapped from work, killed sues Detroit Medical Center
(CBS DETROIT) - The family of slain Detroit Medical Center nurse Patrice Wilson wants justice. Now, they've filed a $200 million lawsuit against the DMC.
The family believes that the DMC's failure to immediately respond was racially motivated.
"We feel had she been one of those white nurses down there, they would've announced it immediately, and maybe the young lady would still be alive. From my understanding, they waited three to four hours," said Michael H. Fortner, the family's attorney.
The family and their attorney accuse the facility of failing to follow active shooter protocol, neglecting to issue a lockdown for the campus, and delaying contacting the police for over two hours.
For Wilson's sister, Destiny Livingston, it's still unreal that her sister is gone.
"You [DMC] make all this money off of every race that's going down there, and you can't protect the doctor or the nurses, or even the patients," Livingston said.
Jamere Mykel Miller, Wilson's ex-boyfriend, was charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, carjacking, armed robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and five counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The family hopes their lawsuit will move DMC officials to implement better security policies to ensure the safety of staff and patients.
"I want them to make our employees feel safe. It's too stressful for me to go to a place where my child got killed. It's too stressful for me to go to a place where I groomed my child to work," said Roslind Livingston, Wilson's mother.
Lack of security to patrol the parking lot and broken cameras are also cited as reasons for the suit.
The family made the announcement on Tuesday because it would've been Patrice's 30th birthday.