Father Sues Hospital for Sharing Photos of Dying Son on Instagram
A father is suing a hospital after staff allegedly posted photos of his dying son on Instagram and treated him “like an art exhibit.”
On May 28, 2022, 18-year-old Jose Lopez Canizares was fatally struck by a car while he was riding his motorcycle in Kendall Lakes, Florida.
Jose Lopez was airlifted to HCA Kendall Hospital in Miami, Florida where he lay unconscious for several weeks before he eventually died.
According to a lawsuit filed by his father Jose Fabian Canizares, hospital employees allegedly took photos of his teenage son while he was dying and shared/posted the “gratuitous” images on Instagram.
Miami New Times reports that his father claims a hospital worker took at least three photos of his unconscious son as he was fighting for his life in the trauma bay.
The lawsuit alleges that the staff member texted the photos to coworkers and posted an image of the patient’s injuries on Instagram with the hospital geo-tag.
The post tagged another hospital employee who then shared the picture on his Instagram account with over 3,000 followers — allegedly adding emoji symbols to the photo.
The staff member reportedly texted the photos to coworkers and posted an image of the patient’s injuries on Instagram with the hospital geo-tag. The post tagged another employee who then shared the picture on his Instagram account with 3,000 followers, adding in emoji symbols.
The Hospital ‘Knew’
Jose Fabian’s attorney, Robert Solomon tells Miami New Times that there were 20 employees in the ER — including nurses, technicians, and doctors — when the employee took the photo. However, not a single employee intervened and stopped the shot.
“Basically, they were treating his son like an art exhibit,” Solomon tells the publication.
In a lawsuit filed in October, the victim’s father Jose Fabian is suing HCA Kendall in Miami-Dade court for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other counts. He is seeking damages in excess of $30,000.
Although his son died on June 23, 2022, his father alleges that the hospital knew about the Instagram posts uploaded by a hospital official around three weeks before — as early as June 1.
The complaint includes a letter from the hospital admitting that an image was posted, and saying the employee had been “appropriately sanctioned.”
According to the Miami New Times, the hospital tried to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing that any breach of privacy affected the son and not the father. However, the presiding judge dismissed only a negligence count.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
