EDMONTON – Tuesday was an emotional day in court for the family of 22-year-old Lisa Goltman.
Her relatives listened to testimony from police and Alberta Hospital staff detailing the hours leading up to Goltman’s May 2013 death.
At the time, Goltman was a patient at the hospital, diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
READ MORE: Family searches for answers after Alberta Hospital patient dies
EPS Det. Bryan Neihaus spoke about an earlier incident where Goltman suffered injuries that may or may not have played a role in her death.
During his interviews with the nursing aides, they said in March, Goltman urinated on herself and wouldn’t go to her room to clean up. They told police they called security to help.
Neihaus testified hospital staff told police the 22-year-old started kicking them. When they tried to pick her up, she fell face first, they said. Goltman was then taken to a seclusion room.
Neihaus also spoke about the night Goltman died. She was again placed in a seclusion room around 11 p.m. and was watched by a psych aide. The aide left at 11:50 p.m. Goltman was supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.
At 2:30 a.m., a visual check found her alive and breathing. At 3 a.m. she was unresponsive. Staff began CPR and paramedics were called.
When EMS arrived at about 3:45 a.m., rigor mortis had already set in, the inquiry heard. The paramedics said that didn’t make sense physiologically if Goltman was still alive at 2:30 a.m.
“If there were to have been actual physical checks [instead of visual], they would have found her to not be breathing for some time prior to 2:30,” Neihaus told court.
The judge asked Neihaus if he thinks physical checks should be required on patients in seclusion. Neihaus said visual checks should be sufficient as long as those checking look specifically for the rise and fall of the chest.
While it was reported staff found Lisa dead at 3 a.m., security was not called until 3:19 a.m. and EMS not until 3:25 a.m. The investigating officer did not ask about the delay.
Goltman’s mother was crying in court as she listened to the details of her daughter’s death. She was seen shaking her head as an Edmonton police officer testified.
Lisa’s older sister Marie Goltman spoke to media outside the law courts Tuesday.
“It eats me alive every day knowing that that’s the way she left this place…by herself, wrapped up in a blanket, on the floor. It eats me alive every day.”
“She was my best friend,” Marie said. “We were a year-and-a-half apart. We both loved hockey. We worked together all through high school at Walmart. It was fun. One day she got sick and I found her and it was scary and it never got better,” Marie said.
Marie said she’s happy the inquiry is happening, but hearing all the details is very upsetting.
“At the end of the day, we’re trying to find answers about her and what happened and hopefully ways for this to never happen to another person again.”
An Alberta Hospital psychiatric nurse took the stand Tuesday afternoon.
“I liked Lisa,” Valerie Dixon said. “She was a challenge. I guess I like challenges.”
The comment made Goltman’s mother and sister smile through their tears as they sat in court.
The nurse said Goltman was secluded because she wouldn’t give up her iPod. (Electronic use isn’t permitted after 9:30 p.m.). She also said Goltman came running out, screaming about the Titanic and jumped on the couch. Dixon said the noise woke up all the other patients and that Goltman scratched another nurse and was threatening, which is why security was called. She said she saw security come in, but didn’t see Goltman taken into isolation, fall, or urinate herself.
The Goltman family started demanding answers from Alberta Hospital just days after Lisa’s death.
Her mother and father visited their dauther for two hours the evening before she was found dead. They were called at around 4 a.m. the next morning and notified of her death.
READ MORE: Family of Alberta Hospital patient demanding answers
In March 2013, the family also spoke out after Goltman was taken to the University of Alberta hospital with bruises and cuts. Staff at Alberta Hospital told the Goltman family Lisa had fallen and slipped on urine in her room.
“This was an unexpected death at the Alberta Hospital Edmonton,” an AHS statement read. “Edmonton police and the Medical Examiner are investigating. We are cooperating fully with the Edmonton police and the Medical Examiner to determine what happened to the patient.”
“An investigation into the family’s prior concerns was undertaken by AHS, and the conclusions were provided to the family. This investigation did not reveal any evidence of inappropriate conduct by staff.”
*EDITOR’S NOTE: This article initially stated EPS Det. Bryan Neihaus testified only about the night Goltman died. However, he was speaking about two different incidents. That was clarified April 15.
Comments