More than a dozen nurses have been sacked and another disciplined at a Washington state children’s hospital after a 12-year-old patient took her own life at the facility.
Sarah Niyimbona, a compassionate, “outspoken” middle schooler, died April 13 after slipping out of her room at Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane and jumping from the fourth floor of a parking garage, according to a report.
Niyimbona had been admitted to the emergency room multiple times in 2024 for suicide attempts, The Spokesman-Review said.
The hospital allegedly removed key safety measures despite her history of self-harm — including a round-the-clock sitter, a video monitor and a door alarm — and failed to properly supervise her the night she died, Investigate West reported, citing a lawsuit filed by the family.
“I ask what happened. How come she left the room without anybody seeing her? How come she walked all the way to the elevator without anybody seeing her?” her mother, Nasra Gertrude, told the outlet. “They haven’t given me any answer at all. I trusted this hospital to take care of my daughter.”
Fifteen nurses have since been fired, and another disciplined, amid questions over how Niyimbona was able to leave her room undetected, according to the Spokesman-Review.
Hospital brass claim the nurses improperly accessed Niyimbona’s medical records without being directly involved in her care, a potential violation of the federal privacy law HIPAA.
The Washington State Nurses Association, which represents the staffers, claims the firings were “retaliation” against nurses who spoke to the media after Niyimbona’s death.
The union said the nurses have filed a grievance, a process that “could take a long time” to resolve.
Providence spokesperson Jen York told the Spokesman-Review the terminations were about protecting patient privacy, saying the hospital reviews conduct and takes “appropriate action, including termination of employment, where warranted.”
A state Department of Health investigation into Niyimbona’s death is ongoing.
In a statement to The Post, Providence said it launched an internal investigation after Niyimbona’s death and implemented new protocols, including suicide risk screening for all patients and procedures for locating missing patients.
Niyimbona was remembered on a GoFundMe page as a “shining light” who “touched the hearts of everyone she met.”
“We’re confused how this could happen. We also want to know why there wasn’t anyone there at the moment, why there was nobody watching her and how she was able to leave,” her 19-year-old sister, Asha Joseph, told PBS.
The WSNA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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