I feel nauseous because it’s such a tragedy,” McMaster said when asked about her reaction to hearing about Isaiah’s death. McMaster is an accreditation consultant who previously served as an administrator at mental health care centers. “A sentinel event is usually a death, a rape, something of significance,” said Marcie McMaster. Patient suicide is considered a “Sentinel event,” which is among the most serious type of reportable events by the Joint Commission. Sentinel Event wasn’t reported to the accrediting agency “I trusted these people to take care of my little boy,” Dickerson said. An autopsy report confirmed Isaiah died by suicide.Ī Ba圜are Health spokesperson told us in an emailed statement, “Ba圜are takes patient privacy very seriously, including complying with federal privacy laws that preclude us from commenting on any specific patient’s case.” Pasco County denied us the 911 recording, saying the case is still open. The I-Team asked the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office for the incident report, but all we got was a blacked-out page showing the date, the time, and the address of the incident. There was nothing there,” Dickerson said.įour days later, Dickerson gave permission to cut off life support. “I knew he was gone when I first saw him. But I can’t keep living like this.' He told me… he said I’m hearing voices in my head,” Dickerson said.Ī staff member found Isaiah several minutes later. “He said, '[Grandma, I don’t want to die. Dickerson believes the act was a cry for help. In April, Isaiah severely cut himself and was rushed to the emergency room at St. “He needed deeper, more thorough, regular care. “He’s been in and out of facilities seven times,” Dickerson said.ĭickerson said psychiatrists put Isaiah on lots of medication, but the prescriptions didn’t solve his problems. Psychotic breaks eventually led to hospitalizations. He was cutting his arms, both arms, the insides of his legs under his clothes where you couldn’t see them,” she said. “I recognized that Isaiah needed some help. “He needed deeper, more thorough, regular care”Īs Isaiah grew into a teenager, his world grew darker, and Dickerson said she couldn’t afford psychological care. WFTS Jamie Dickerson, foster parent to Isaiah Thomas, who committed suicide while under professional care. She said she provided what she could, from a meager monthly check and an EBT card for groceries. And he loved her,” Dickerson said.ĭickerson then became his guardian. Dickerson said Isaiah discovered her body on the floor and was traumatized. He lived with a foster mother until he was eight, and she died of natural causes. “It’s like the worst thing you ever have to do in your life,” Dickerson responded when asked how hard it was to lose her grandson.ĭickerson said Isaiah was taken from his drug-addicted mother at birth. In the weeks since his death, she has converted his bedroom into an office and gave away his clothing and other personal belongings to his classmates at AMI Kids, where he attended school. She now sees Isaiah’s smile every time she passes by his framed funeral program in her living room. It’s not supposed to be a time riddled with pain,” Dickerson said. “This is supposed to be a fun time in his life. Pictures from Jamie Dickerson’s cell phone show her grandson Isaiah Thomas smiling. Now, his grandmother is speaking to the I-Team about how she believes the facility failed him. Call 988 for help.Ī 13-year-old boy took his own life in May while he was a patient at a clinical, residential mental health treatment facility. If you are thinking about suicide, there is help. This story deals with suicide and may be difficult to read for some.
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