Kin sue hosp for kids' death, illnesses

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Kin sue hosp for kids' death, illnesses

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/350247p-298785c.html

BY NANCY DILLON

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

New York,NY

The devastated mom who says her 5-year-old daughter died of a deadly

fungus contracted in the Babies and Children's Hospital at Columbia

Presbyterian Medical Center issued a plea yesterday for other

parents to come forward.

" If you still have no explanation for your child's death, please

contact me. I know the agony, " said , 44, of New

Rochelle. " I know it's not just us. "

Three other families now have contacted 's lawyer complaining

of respiratory problems that their children allegedly acquired from

construction-borne dust at the famed hospital.

One toddler boy who received treatment for a gastrointestinal

problem in 2001 allegedly lost 40% of his lung capacity, lawyer

said without identifying the boy.

Another little girl, 3-year-old McKenzie of Middletown in

Orange County, died on Christmas Eve 2001 after spending weeks in

dirty hospital rooms and developing a bad cough, her mother charged.

McKenzie and the boy, now 5, were in the same ward, said mom Michele

, 35.

" This is getting larger and larger, " said yesterday.

In the case of 's daughter, little Grace died of respiratory

failure in November 2002 after a year-long battle with

neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system.

The heartbroken mom says Grace was a fighter who would be here today

if not for the aspergillosis infection that took hold in October

2001 during renovations that coated Grace's 10th-floor room

with " filth. "

The infection created a fungus ball in Grace's right lung and

required grueling infusions of white blood cells.

said she's convinced other families suffered the same tragedy

because a doctor told her in November 2001 that at least two other

kids had contracted aspergillosis at the hospital and died.

" The conditions were horrendous. There was brownish and grayish

debris coming from the vents and air conditioners, " she said. " We

literally would go into the room before Grace and clean it ourselves

with alcohol. "

The s are suing Columbia Presbyterian and construction firm

Bovis Lend Lease, asking $5 million from each.

" We are dedicated to the health and safety of all of our patients,

and that includes maintaining a clean environment for them and their

families, " said hospital spokeswoman Myrna Manners. " We are always

in compliance with hospital construction guidelines. We take them

very, very seriously. "

A Bovis spokeswoman said, " Our hearts go out to any family who has

experienced the loss of a critically ill child. We, however,

continue to stress that we have no record of any such occurrences

while we worked at [the hospital]. "

Originally published on September 27, 2005