Son of Sunshine Lewis, Community Relations for Narconon of Ga, died at 25

[ethercat]

25-year-old Brandon Harris, the son of Renee Sunshine Lewis, Community Relations for Narconon of Georgia, died while participating in a sleep study at Emory. 

Reaching for the Tipping Point offers its condolences to Ms. Lewis.

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/mom-demands-answers-in-sleep-study-death-020810

Mom Demands Answers in Sleep Study Death

Updated: Monday, 08 Feb 2010, 6:56 PM EST
Published : Monday, 08 Feb 2010, 5:27 PM EST
Edited By: Leigha Baugham | myfoxatlanta.com

The mother of a 25-year-old man who died in a sleep study demanded answers Monday. The man's mother and some community activists delivered a letter to Emory Hospital.

Brandon Harris died, while he was participating in a sleep study at Emory Hospital. Harris' mother, Sunshine Lewis, said her son was basically healthy. Lewis, along with other members of Harris' family said Monday that they don't believe the 25-year-old received adequate care.

Family members said video taken during the study showed Harris waving for assistance seven to 10 times, but no one came to help.

Emory Hospital released a statement saying Harris died of cardiac arrest and claimed that people are monitored 24 hours during the study.

Harris' family admitted that the 25-year-old was overweight, had high-blood pressure and diabetes.

Harris' family, along with community activists Michael Lanford, Derrick Boazman, John Evans, Archbishop Lewis III, Sen. Vincent Fort and others drafted a letter to Emory asking them to stop all sleep studies. The letter also called for an investigation in Harris' death.

http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/coroner-no-investigation-into-293531.html

Coroner: No investigation into sleep study patient's death

By Craig Schneider
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The DeKalb Medical Examiner's Office said it will not pursue an investigation into the death of a 25-year-old man who died during a sleep study at EmoryHealthcare.

Brandon Harris, 25, died two weeks ago during a sleep study at Emory hospital. The hospital says he died due previous medical conditions. His family says he was not given proper medical attention.

Family members of 25-year-old Brandon Harris have raised objections to his care during the sleep study, and are calling on the hospital to close the sleep clinic until a full review is performed.

But John Henson, deputy chief investigator at the county medical examiner's office, said his review of the incident revealed no indication of any wrongdoing on the part of Emory. He said there is no suspicion of foul play or medical wrongdoing in the death of Harris, who was there for sleep apnea.

"In this case we declined jurisdiction," he said.

Harris, a medical assistant, entered the Emory sleep center on Jan. 22, said his mother, Renee "Sunshine" Lewis. By the next morning he was dead.

Emory said in a statement that he died of sudden cardiac arrest, and that the hospital "appropriately attended to him."

But family members, some of whom Emory allowed to view video footage from the test, say he was gesturing that he needed help and did not receive the attention he needed.

Here are some additional relevant links:

http://news.google.com/news/search?aq=f&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=%22sunshine+lewis%22

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&num=100&q=%22sunshine+lewis%22+%22john+lewis%22&aq=f&aqi=&oq=

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=narconon&as_epq=sunshine+lewis&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=100&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=images

[SocialTransparency]

 Sad to hear of a young mans death. From the study he was involved in, it appears he was not of the sci mind set. Fact that you are obese and have diabetes,then a pre existing heart problem lends itself to one thinking the study for sleep was also "Sleep Apnea" related.

 Large people suffer from "Sleep Apnea" due to the neck weight compressing their air way, which then causes subconcious laboring for breath, which in turn deny's the afflicted REM (rapid eye movement) deep sleep.

 Sleep studies are very monitored,I.E multiple electrodes on the head and body. Nothing invasive really.

[ethercat]

No, I don't think this is a scientology-related death.  The only connection is that the grieving mother, Sunshine Lewis (who, incidentally, is the daughter of deceased civil rights leader John Lewis) promotes a scientology drug rehab program, which is responsible, through its disregard for wog science, for the death of another grieving mother's son.

I believe it was a sleep apnea study.

[Lorelei]

I'm sorry for Sunshine's loss. It's a shame.

I'm also intrigued that there are parallels between this situation and many other situations involving young people in Scientology's / Scientology front groups' care. The major difference, as far as I can see, is that many young people who die or suffer ill health effects under Scientology's care, are generally in pretty good health OR they are drug / alcohol addicts submitting to the Narconon quackery of niacin overdoses + prolonged hot saunas, etc.

If Sunshine's poor son had health issues prior to the sleep (apnea) study, that will come out soon enough.

[mefree]

This is a very sad story. I feel for the family and I hope they get some answers.

[mefree]

Mother Files Suit In Emory Sleep Center Death
WSBTV.com
Posted: 4:22 pm EDT April 22, 2011
Updated: 6:04 pm EDT April 22, 2011

ATLANTA -- Attorneys for the mother of a man who died during a sleep study released part of the hospital video showing some of what happened on Friday. Those attorneys filed a lawsuit against Emory Hospital and the Wesley Woods Center.

Brandon Harris, 25, died in January 2010 after his mother enrolled him at the Emory Sleep Center to see if he suffered from sleep apnea. Harris was overweight, mentally challenged and had congestive heart failure.

"My objective is simply to make sure that Brandon's death was not in vain and that those responsible will someday be held accountable," said Renee "Sunshine" Lewis at her attorneys' office.

Attorneys showed four minutes from what they say is an hour-long video. It shows Harris complaining of massive chest pains and shortness of breath as sleep technicians try to comfort him.

At one point in the video, Harris states he's afraid he's dying and coughs up blood. The video shows him collapsing on the bed twice. The final time, two women described as sleep technicians lower him to the floor.

Harris was rushed to nearby Emory Hospital, but died about an hour later.

Lewis’ attorneys claim Harris should not have been made to lie down on the bed because of his medical condition. Instead, they said he should have been allowed to sleep in a more vertical position as he did at home.

Attorney Audrey Tolson of the Cochran Law Firm stated that because Harris had a mental capacity equal to a 10-year-old, he didn't feel he could go against the sleep techs' orders.

more at http://www.wsbtv.com/news/27641004/detail.html

[ethercat]

Mother Files Suit In Emory Sleep Center Death
WSBTV.com
Posted: 4:22 pm EDT April 22, 2011
Updated: 6:04 pm EDT April 22, 2011

Attorney Audrey Tolson of the Cochran Law Firm stated that because Harris had a mental capacity equal to a 10-year-old, he didn't feel he could go against the sleep techs' orders.

I saw a news report on another station about this. 

Should a mother leave a 10 year old child with medical problems alone at a sleep center?  Would a good mother leave a 10 year old child without medical problems alone at a sleep center?

What about an adult with the mind of a 10 year old who has serious medical problems? 

If Brandon Harris was not capable of making the decision to do what he needed for his medical conditions in order to survive, should he have been left alone at the center?  Would not the responsibility to make sure the environment at the sleep center was safe for him have fallen on Sunshine Lewis?  Was the sleep center apprised of his medical conditions and mental capacity? 

Where was she while he was at the sleep center? 

[mefree]

In addition to being described as mentally handicapped, the story goes on to tell that he had a long history of medical problems which included diabetes, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy and hypertension.

That is quite a few medical problems for such a young man.

Local Fox News video: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/local_news/family-files-wrongful-death-lawsuit-over-sleep-study-case-20110421-tm

[Mary_McConnell]

This is a real tragedy. The doctor who prescribed the study should have taken more precautions and considered his sleeping habits.

As far as the mother being irresponsible, you raise some good questions, ethercat/ It usually done late in the evening through the next morning and she probably dropped him off because the techs figured he was an adult so there should be no problem.

Usually hospitals require a parent to be there for children. Stanford U Hospital states:

"One parent or caregiver must accompany all minors and must stay overnight with the patient. The technologist team will expect the assistance of a parent/guardian during the night, thus it is critical for the adult to be in the room with the child. "
http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/clinics/sleep/planning/what-to-expect-childs.html

Anyway, it's sad that a disabled person died so young. Mom should spend less time promoting Narconon and more with her family. 

[Mary_McConnell]

FYI, UPDATE:

Renew Lewis' personal injury case filed on 04/21/2011 against The Emory Clinic, NeuroCare, et al is still ongoing. Trial set for July 13th and August 10, 2015 but interrogatories are still flying back and forth. This is being held in Dekalb State Court. Case # 11A36471.

I won't be checking in much on this because it reminds me of the days checking the docket of the Desmond case...

[mefree]

That is one full docket. I had a flashback or two looking at that website as well, Mary. Oh, the dox!

[Mary_McConnell]

   I know!!