A Hempstead widow is taking a Westbury imaging center to court, claiming her husband was yanked into an MRI scanner by a metal chain around his neck and later died from his injuries. The lawsuit, filed this week against Nassau Open MRI, accuses staff of failing to tell the 61-year-old man to remove a heavy metal necklace before he walked into the scan room on July 16, 2025. He was hospitalized after the incident and was later pronounced dead.
What the lawsuit alleges
The complaint by Adrienne Jones-McAllister, as reported by News 12 Long Island, claims a technician let her husband, identified in news reports as Keith McAllister, enter the MRI room without directing him to take off his chain. The filing also says Adrienne endured "severe mental and emotional pain" after witnessing the incident, according to the outlet.
How the accident unfolded
The Nassau County Police Department said officers responding to a 911 call on July 16, 2025, learned that a 61-year-old man had walked into an active MRI room while a scan was underway, and that the large metallic chain he wore was pulled toward the magnet and set off what police called a medical episode, Associated Press reporting states. He was taken to a nearby hospital and died the following day, according to that report. Local coverage later identified him as Keith McAllister.
Family response
The family hired attorney Michael Lauterborn, who labeled the death "preventable" and urged a thorough investigation by Nassau County police and the New York State Department of Health, according to the Long Island Press. Relatives also launched a GoFundMe and told local media they tried for several minutes to free McAllister from the machine before officers arrived.
Safety rules and clinic policy
National MRI safety guidance and accrediting organizations say facilities are expected to use strict screening and controlled zones to keep ferromagnetic objects clear of active scanners, and the Joint Commission notes that strong safety protocols are designed to stop exactly these kinds of incidents. Nassau Open MRI's locations page warns patients to remove metal items before a scan and lists the Westbury site at 1570 Old Country Rd., Westbury, NY, on its website. The family's lawsuit claims those safeguards were not followed that day.
What's next
The lawsuit moves the case into civil court while the police investigation remains active, and News 12 Long Island reports it has asked Nassau Open MRI for comment. Lawyers say upcoming court filings will spell out the family's legal claims and the damages they seek as the case proceeds. Local authorities have not announced any criminal charges tied to the incident.
