Last week a teen escaped from the Mayo Clinic, accusing the famed center of “medical kidnapping.” According to the report, 18-year-old Alyssa Gilderhus suffered a brain aneurysm over Christmas, at which point she was placed at the Mayo Clinic for treatment. However, over the last couple of years, Alyssa and her family have been unhappy with the care she was receiving and asked for her to be transferred. The Mayo Clinic denied their request, even attempting to get legal guardianship over the young patient. Feeling as if they had no other options, the family hatched a plan to essentially break Alyssa out of the Mayo Clinic.
In the shocking moment caught on video, Alyssa and her family rush to escape the hospital as medical staff members run after them, yelling “No! No!” and even grabbing the patient’s arm as Alyssa’s stepfather yells, “Get your hands off my daughter!” Mayo security immediately called 911, citing a patient abduction. Alyssa and her family say that she was not abducted, but rather, she escaped because the hospital was keeping her there against her will. The family has used the term “medical kidnapping,” as they repeatedly asked for her to be transferred to another hospital, only to have Mayo refuse.
Was Is Medical Kidnapping?
This is an unfortunate story that has two sides, with one young girl stuck in the middle. According to the Mayo Clinic, Alyssa’s mother, Amber, has mental issues and is not fit to provide her the care she needs. On the other hand, Alyssa’s family says they have been unhappy with the care she has received at the Clinic. Amber and her husband Duane suspected the Mayo Clinic was trying to get a different guardian appointed to make medical decisions for her, and they were right. Hospital staffers say they had reached out to two different adult protection agencies because Alyssa cannot make decisions for herself and they believed her parents were unfit. However, Amber claims she does not have a history of mental illness and is offended staffers would suggest that she did.
A police search ensued and, after they couldn’t find the family, they pinged their cell phones, locating them at an Applebee’s in Mankato, Minnesota. It turns out the ping was wrong, and the family was actually at a nearby Wal-Mart purchasing a wheelchair and other supplies. The following day, a pediatric rehabilitation specialist at Mayo said Alyssa was in danger based on her medical condition, medical status, cognition, and physical impairments. As the Mayo Clinic, doctors, Alyssa’s family, and their lawyers continue to battle over what the right thing to do is and who is in the wrong, we must look at the notion of medical kidnapping. Chances are this is a new term to you, and you’re not alone. The very idea that Alyssa was “kidnapped” by the Mayo Clinic is hard to digest, but it’s important to remember we don’t have all the details as of right now. The police eventually backed off and we still aren’t sure what the exact interactions were between family and staff.
As a personal injury law firm here in McKinney, we have handled countless cases of medical malpractice. We will continue to keep an eye on this story and update you as it progresses. Medical kidnapping is a very serious claim that no one should take lightly. If you have faced any wrongdoing on the part of a hospital, nurse, or medical staff, please contact Wormington & Bollinger today.