Family of Anna Brown Files Suit Against St. Mary's

The family of Anna Brown, the homeless woman who died in a Richmond Heights jail in 2011, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against St. Mary's Health Center.

The suit alleges that the hospital failed to diagnose a life-threatening condition before releasing the 29-year-old to police.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Saint Louis University Hospital and several physicians were also named in the suit.

Brown died on Sept. 21, 2011. Blood clots that moved from her legs to her lungs were cited as the cause. 

Before her death, Brown refused to leave St. Mary's and demanded more treatment for the pain in her legs. Doctors deemed her fit for police confinement and staff asked police to remove her from the premises.

The suit was filedi in St. Louis Circuit Court by Brown's mother on behalf of her two children, ages 3 and 12.

St. Mary's President Kate Becker issued the following statement:

We are reviewing the petition at this time and are unable to comment on the lawsuit. We believe the care provided by our doctors, nurses and hospital staff was appropriate. Our hearts and prayers continue to be with the family.

See our previous coverage:

• Jail Death in Richmond Heights: City Attorney Talks Police Protocol
• Anna Brown Death Draws Criticism from Ex-Homeland Security Official
• Anna Brown Petition Gathers Thousands of Names After Jail Death in Richmond Heights
• WATCH: Anna Brown Response from SSM St. Mary's Health Center
• Anna Brown Petition Creator Jonathan Dedering Speaks Out
• Anna Brown March Held on Good Friday in Clayton