15 nurses fired from kids hospital after 12-year-old patient dies by suicide
Fifteen nurses have been fired from Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane, Washington, after 12-year-old Sarah Niyimbona died by suicide there on April 13. She slipped out of her hospital room and jumped from the fourth floor of a parking garage.
Sarah, described as a bright and outspoken girl, had been repeatedly hospitalized in 2024 for suicide attempts. A lawsuit from her family alleges the hospital failed to provide required safety measures—such as a sitter, video monitoring, and door alarms—and did not properly supervise her the night she died.
Her mother, Nasra Gertrude, expressed heartbreak and frustration, saying, “I trusted this hospital to take care of my daughter.”
The hospital said the nurses were dismissed for improperly accessing Sarah’s medical records, violating HIPAA. However, the Washington State Nurses Association claims the firings were retaliation against staff who spoke to the media.
An investigation by the state Department of Health is ongoing. Sarah’s sister, Asha, called her “a bright angel” and said the family is still seeking answers on how such negligence occurred in a place meant to keep her safe.