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September 26, 2007

A.G. investigating whether woman died waiting for rescue

PAWTUCKET -- The Attorney General’s Office is investigating whether a woman bled to death because a Pawtucket Fire Department rescue truck wasn’t dispatched quickly enough to provide her with treatment.

Maria A. Carvalho, 53, died Thursday in her home at 101 Gooding St., after her husband João Carvalho said she began bleeding from a shunt, or bypass, inserted as part of the treatment she was receiving for kidney failure, and Pawtucket fire dispatchers delayed sending a rescue truck, despite several frantic calls to 911.

Speaking through his son, John, João Carvalho described how his wife Maria got on the phone to 911 herself as soon as the bleeding started.

A Portuguese immigrant who speaks little English, and has a foot injury, João Carvalho said he hobbled across the street to the house of a neighbor when his wife told him she was having difficulty getting help.

“My mom said, ‘No one’s helping me,” John Carvalho said.

When the neighbor, 81-year-old Yvette LeBlanc of 96 Gooding St., dialed 911, she was asked for the address of the Carvalho house. “I said it’s a yellow house across the street from my house. I didn’t even know the number,” she said.

Mrs. LeBlanc said João Carvalho was on his way back across the street when the dispatcher told her to have him call for help personally..

“The dispatcher told me he’s got to call up from his house.”

City officials said that the incident is being investigated, and that the two rookie fire dispatchers who were on duty at the time have been suspended, with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Michael J. Healey, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, confirmed that the office has agreed to investigate the matter: “Pawtucket has asked us to review this incident. We have agreed to review it and we’re moving quickly.” he declared.

Healey declined to comment when asked whether the attorney general’s office had taken the case because the alleged delay in dispatching the rescue truck rose to the level of criminal misconduct.

“That’s an absolutely fair question. I just can’t answer it now,” he said.

-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 6:14 PM | Permalink

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