Dirty hosp killed kids, suit claims (How many others?)

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Dirty hosp killed kids, suit claims

'It was a nightmare,' says mom in lawsuit

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/349636p-298306c.html

BY JONATHAN LEMIRE

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

New York,NY

Originally published on September 25, 2005

Two little girls treated at a prestigious Manhattan hospital have

died of

mysterious respiratory ailments - and their parents fear filth at

the hospital

killed them.

The distraught families - who checked their girls into the hospital

with

unrelated illnesses - have hired the same lawyer to investigate

whether dust

created by renovations at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center led

to

their deaths.

Three-year-old McKenzie of Middletown, Orange County, died in

her mother's arms on Christmas Eve 2001 after spending weeks in

dirty

hospital rooms, her mother charged.

" It was a nightmare, a complete nightmare, " Michele , 35, said

yesterday. " This was supposed to be one of the best hospitals in the

world, and then this happened. "

The state Health Department is investigating the deaths, said.

hired attorney F.X. , the same lawyer who is

representing and of New Rochelle, whose

5-year-old daughter, Grace, died in November 2002 from an infection

caused by a deadly fungus.

The s are suing Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and Bovis

Lend Lease, which managed the construction project, for $5 million

each,

said.

" We feel the same fungus made both girls sick, " she said. " They both

were

on the same floors at the same time and developed the same problems. "

Her daughter, who suffered from both a tumor disorder and a

digestive

problem, began to develop a serious cough after multiple stays at

the

Washington Heights hospital during the summer and fall of 2001,

said.

By October, McKenzie's coughing fits had grown unbearable and she

began staying at Columbia Presbyterian several days each week, the

mother said.

" We asked them to clean the rooms, " said , a manager of a

Monroe

diner. " We eventually did it ourselves, thinking it was a tradeoff

for seeing

the best doctors. "

Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and Bovis could not be reached

for

comment yesterday.

McKenzie's mother said a " vague " autopsy didn't fully explain her

daughter's death.

" My heart breaks when I think of how my daughter suffered, " she

said. " I

just want answers for what happened. "