Omar Paisley
Omar Paisley, 17, died on June 9, 2003, at the Miami Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Florida, where he was held. His mother, Cherry Williams, said his death would never go away and described it as a scar. Lawmakers at hearings said he had complained of severe abdominal pain for days and that staff waited three days to get treatment, saying they lacked authority to call an ambulance, and the Herald reported that the cause was appendicitis, with an appendix that burst before help came. Lawmakers called the response a culture of neglect, and 25 employees resigned or were fired; a former nurse later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, culpable negligence, according to the Miami Herald.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff. Lawmakers and the Miami Herald say staff waited three days to get Omar treatment for appendicitis, and a grand jury report and a former nurse's guilty plea back that account.
Reported by: Lawmakers at hearings; Miami Herald reporting (reporters); Miami Herald editorial, citing a grand jury report (reporters).