Mother questions hospital's care of son injured in house fire



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A house fire on January 2nd left a 14-year-old Milwaukee boy in the hospital with serious injuries and now his mother says she is concerned about the level of treatment her son has been receiving.

When fire officials pulled Naiza Love-Roy from the upstairs of the two-family duplex, the teen had no pulse. Paramedics were able to revive him, but smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning have left the boy lifeless in a hospital bed.

"When I walked into the hospital I knew three things -- either my child was going to walk out of there, or there would be some brain damage, or he was not going to make it," said the boy's mother, Shaunda Roy.

Roy says she has been praying for her son to pull through, but has begun to question the care the teen is receiving at Columbia St. Mary's. She was shocked at what the doctors initially told her.

"This is what's happening -- your child is dying," said Roy. "Okay -- my child had not died at that time. My child still had brain activity at that time."

Naiza eventually developed pneumonia and other health complications including an elevated heart rate and high blood pressure. Roy says the doctors did nothing to help the boy.

The family says they are prepared to make difficult life support decision for their loved one, but not before getting a second opinion. Roy has arranged for an independent investigation and taken her concerns to the hospital's Board of Review.

"I have to fight for him. Nobody else is fighting for him," Roy said.

Roy believes her son's fate was likely sealed the moment the fire broke out, but says his condition became worse, and beyond any chance of survival, because of the lack of care he's received.

The hospital issued a statement saying: Columbia St. Mary's extends to the Love-Roy family our deepest sympathies during this very difficult time. We are confident that Columbia St. Mary's provided compassionate yet aggressive state-of-the-art burn care to their son. As in all cases like this, we are conducting a thorough, transparent and focused review of his care. Additionally, we are working with the family to accommodate an independent assessment with a clinician identified by the family.