Background: Sacred Heart Children”s Hospital in Spokane, Wash. (Google Maps). Inset: Sarah June Niyimbona (GoFundMe).
The family of a Washington state girl who died by suicide while she was under 24-hour supervision has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital, which fired 15 nurses in connection with the media coverage of the tragedy.
According to the lawsuit reviewed by Law&Crime, 12-year-old Sarah June Niyimbona started experiencing severe depression symptoms in September 2024. Her mother, Nasra Gertrude, pursued medical care for Sarah and in January, the 12-year-old was admitted to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane, Washington, for “inpatient psychiatric services related to her depression, self-harm, and suicide attempts.”
Part of her care included 24-hour supervision by medical staff “to keep her safe from self-harm and suicide.” According to the lawsuit, the hospital removed the employee in charge of watching Sarah as well as the video monitoring devices from her hospital room.
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On April 13, Sarah was somehow able to leave her room and “walk freely” around the hospital. She eventually walked to the fourth floor of the hospital’s parking structure and jumped off.
The lawsuit stated that while Sarah’s injuries were ultimately fatal, she did not die on impact and suffered “catastrophic lower extremity injuries.” In her final moments, as the hospital unsuccessfully tried to save her life, Sarah “experienced fear, pain, and suffering.”
According to the lawsuit, the hospital and employees tasked with watching Sarah were negligent in their care and directly responsible for her death.
Months after Sarah’s death, local news outlet The Spokesman-Review reported on Aug. 8 that 15 nurses were fired from their jobs at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital; another employee was disciplined. The reason given for the firing, according to the paper, was that the nurses violated HIPAA laws by accessing the girl’s private medical records after her death.
In response, the Washington State Nurses Association filed a grievance on behalf of the nurses, saying that the terminations were retaliation for the nurses speaking to the media after Sarah’s death. A spokesperson for the WSNA also noted that the nurses were “responding to a crisis” after the tragedy took place and were collecting information related to Sarah’s case.
WSNA director David Keepnews said in a statement that the nurses were “called in to assist with care and provide information related to a patient’s treatment” during a crisis situation. He added, “We reject Providence Sacred Heart’s claims that privacy was violated by nurses who were doing their jobs to assist in efforts to save the life of a 12-year-old girl in the hospital’s care.”
The lawsuit filed by Gertrude in May does not mention the firings, nor does it call for the firings of any hospital employees. On Aug. 7, the hospital filed its answer to the lawsuit and denied the allegations made. Attorneys representing the hospital also requested a jury trial, currently scheduled for July 2026.
