The toll of tragedy lingers over Lincoln Hospital as the family of Cynthia Vann, a 55-year-old woman who died following a vicious beating by her roommate, is preparing to sue New York City for $20 million. The suit alleges negligence and lack of transparency by the hospital's staff. According to Gothamist, the family's spokesperson Rev. Kevin McCall claims the staff failed to safeguard Cynthia and did not fully disclose why her condition worsened so drastically.
While Cynthia was receiving liver treatment in September, she was reportedly attacked by 44-year-old Racquel Haughton. The beating was severe enough to leave her in a critical condition for weeks before she eventually succumbed to her injuries. Haughton has since been arrested and faces manslaughter and assault charges, as reported by NBC New York. The family's attorney, John Elefterakis, is determined to vigorously pursue the case and stated, "We intend to litigate this matter and will use every tool at our disposal to uncover the truth about what occurred and the failures that led to Cynthia’s tragic death," as mentioned on Gothamist.
The Vann family and law enforcement sources revealed that Haughton repeatedly punched Vann in the head, which led to brain surgery that Vann could not recover from. The family also claims that hospital staff were aware of the attack as Cynthia had reported it to them prior to her surgery. "My child was barely noticeable. The lord had to tell me that was my child laying in that bed. Face, head swollen, bruises all over her face," Rosemany Vann, Cynthia’s mother, told the NBC New York regarding her condition after the assault.
Rev. Kevin McCall has emphasized the emotional struggle the family faces with Vann's death, highlighting the void left behind. " [Tanesha] went from speaking to her mother every day to not speaking to her — to attempting to dial a number and knowing that her mother's not there,” McCall expressed, as he relayed to Gothamist. The pain extends to Vann's grandson, who, according to Tanesha, "cries on and off" and misses his grandmother deeply. The family's pursuit for answers and accountability continues, as New York City Health and Hospitals, the agency that oversees Lincoln Hospital, has yet to provide a response to the pending legal action.
