The family of a young boy who died following a seizure in Arizona has reached a $2 million settlement with the city of Phoenix after a wrongful-death lawsuit alleged that first responders failed to properly assess the child’s condition.
The lawsuit claims that despite his mother’s pleas for medical attention, emergency responders told her she was “overreacting” and instructed her to give the child over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, leading to tragic consequences.
A Tragic Sequence of Events
In April 2022, Abraham Clugston, a 2-year-old boy, suffered a seizure at home. His mother immediately called 911, and a fire crew arrived at the house within 10 minutes. However, according to the lawsuit, the responders insisted that Abraham did not need to go to the hospital and reassured his mother by saying, “He’s fine.”
The first responders reportedly told her that seizures were normal and that she should give him medications such as Tylenol and ibuprofen.
Despite the mother’s concerns, the first responders left after about 10 minutes without taking Abraham’s vital signs or temperature. Five hours later, Abraham was found unresponsive, prompting another 911 call. This time, he was transported to the hospital, but tragically, it was too late, and he died.
Lawsuit and Settlement
The lawsuit filed by the Clugston family claims that the first responders failed to properly assess Abraham’s condition and failed in their duty to provide adequate care. The family’s attorney, Breann Slack, emphasized that the child’s mother, who knew her son best, was dismissed by the responders.
“[Firefighters] make mistakes, but as the parent, as in this case, my client knows their child better than the city of Phoenix, and it was, unfortunately, proven that day,” Slack said.
In response to the incident, the city of Phoenix issued a statement extending its condolences, stating that an internal review had been conducted and that steps had been taken to improve training and procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Reform and Legacy
While the $2 million settlement provides some financial compensation, Abraham’s family acknowledges that nothing will bring their son back. The family has been vocal about wanting reform, hoping that their son’s death will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“Abraham’s death could have and should have been prevented,” Slack stated. “Their hopes are that in addition to the laws that have already been changed since Abraham passed away, that Abraham’s legacy will be to SAVE more lives, moving forward.”
The Clugston family hopes that, moving forward, children who experience their first seizure will be immediately taken to an emergency room for professional care, without hesitation or dismissal by first responders.
The tragic death of Abraham Clugston serves as a reminder of the importance of proper medical care and attention in emergency situations.
The settlement reached by the family with the City of Phoenix is a step toward accountability, but it also underscores the need for reform in emergency response procedures to ensure that such preventable tragedies do not happen again.
