Entries from Gothamist tagged with 'medicalexaminer'
July 12, 2008
The City Medical Examiner released the results of Esmin Green's autopsy; and King's County Hospital treatment, or lack thereof, of the dead woman may have had more to do with her death than callous neglect. The M.E. found that Green collapsed after blood clots that formed in her legs as she sat in the hospital's psychiatric ward waiting room migrated to her lungs and killed her. Green was seated in the reception area, waiting to......
Continue Reading "More Than Neglect in Kings County Patient's Death"February 26, 2008
During his testimony for the defense, a former Suffolk County medical examiner said 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown was not killed by child abuse syndrome but by a single blow. In spite of her malnourished state and various injuries battering her body, Dr. Charles Wetli said, "If you take away the head injury from this child, there is no reason that the child should have died in that time and place." The NYC Medical Examiner's office said......
Continue Reading "Medical Expert Disputes Nixzmary Brown's Cause of Death"February 25, 2008
On Friday, a woman traveling from Haiti to New York City died on the American Airlines flight. Her cousin say the crew initially refused to give her oxygen and that when they did, the oxygen tanks were empty and the defibrillator wasn't working. Carine Desir, who lives in Brooklyn and is a nurse, "collapsed an hour into the flight." She was traveling with her brother Joel Desir and cousin Antonio Oliver, who tried to get......
Continue Reading "Woman Dies During Flight to JFK, Family Blames Airline"February 18, 2008
Photograph of police investigating the United Nations death by John Heilprin/AP After the discovery of a woman's body on the lawn of the United Nations building, the police have identified the woman as Maria DiBiase, who worked with the Austrian consulate. According to the Daily News, DiBiase "apparently jumped after showing up for work at the UN early Sunday." The 44-year-old appears to have leaped from the 19th floor and her body was found......
Continue Reading "Police Believe U.N. Death Was Suicide"February 17, 2008
Miguel Matias called 911 yesterday morning to confess to police that he had strangled his daughter. He lied, however, about where he placed her body. The 34-year-old building superintendent told cops that he killed the 14-year-old girl because she wouldn't stop texting or instant messaging a boy, and that he then dumped her body in the woods. When police searched the Bronx building where he worked, however, they found the partially burned body of a......
Continue Reading "Building Super Murders Daughter, Stuffs Her in Boiler"February 9, 2008
A city medical examiner spent two days testifying in the trial of Cesar Rodriguez, who face murder charges over his 7-year-old stepdaughter Nixzmary Brown's death. Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson revealed two things: That the girl only gained one pound in two and a half years and that she was dead for seven hours before 911 was called. The Brooklyn DA's office has been trying to prove Rodriguez's actions led to the child's death.......
Continue Reading "ME Says 7-Year-Old Only Gained 1 Pound in Almost 3 Years"February 6, 2008
Just a little over two weeks after his death, and as his family prepares to bury him, the NYC medical examiner has given the results of Heath Ledger's toxicology report. The official word is that the actor died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. A lot of prescription drugs. The ME's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, made the following statement: "Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone,......
Continue Reading "ME's Office on Heath Ledger's Death: Accidental Overdose"January 23, 2008
Photographs outside Broome Street The NYC Medical Examiner's office says Heath Ledger's autopsy is inconclusive, citing the need to more tests. Spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said, "The autopsy is inconclusive and we have to do further testing which includes toxicology and tissue testing. We expect to have results in about 10 days to two weeks." Initial reports suggested pills were found scattered around the actor's body, prompting speculation that Ledger could have committed suicide. Ledger's......
Continue Reading "Heath Ledger Autopsy Inconclusive, According to M.E."January 22, 2008
Early this morning, a city medical examiner's van crashed into a Nissan Altima on Fort Hamilton Parkway, leaving the Altima's driver and front passenger dead and at least five others injured. Around 3:30AM, van was headed south on the parkway when it was "struck by the Altima, traveling east on 44th Street." The van flipped over, critically injuring the driver and passenger. Customers at a Laundromat went outside to help and one told WNBC,......
Continue Reading "Fort Hamilton Parkway Crash Leaves 2 Dead"January 15, 2008
The police are investigating the murder of a 69-year-old woman in her apartment at 2400 Second Avenue. Helen Abbot's body was found by her daughter on Sunday afternoon, after she hadn't been heard from in two days. A medical examiner determined that she was strangled, stabbed and beaten to death. Abbot had lived in her Wagner Houses apartment for 35 years. Police suspect that Abbot knew her killer, as her door was unlocked. Detectives have......
Continue Reading "Woman Found Beaten to Death in East Harlem Apartment"December 17, 2007
The family and friend of the Minnesota tourist who took a fatal plunge from a Midtown hotel this past weekend are saying her death is not a suicide. Twenty-one-year-old Jennifer Olson fell 60 feet from a fire escape at the Night Hotel and earlier reports suggested she jumped, but her friend, Timothy O'Neill, told the Daily News, "I don't believe it was suicide. I believe it was accidental. After drinking six or seven hours, people......
Continue Reading "Friend, Family Say Tourist's Death Was Not Suicide"December 5, 2007
Brooklyn resident Christina Copeman became a recluse after the death of her husband 17 years ago, more so as she began to succumb to Alzheimer's disease. She wouldn't answer greetings from neighbors and eventually refused to come to the door when people knocked. The full consequences of her isolation weren't realized until this week, when police broke down the door to her apartment and found her skeletal remains dressed, and wearing a coat and hat......
Continue Reading "Woman's Death Somewhat Ignored for 2 Years"December 3, 2007
First responders gathered in front of the NYC Medical Examiner's office to protest how the ME has classified deaths seemingly related to Ground Zero illnesses. State Senator Eric Adams said he would introduce legislation making sure first responders who worked at Ground Zero will "get the same line-of-duty benefits" as September 11 victims. Recently, the ME's office has not named two rescuers, who worked at the World Trade Center site after September 11 and later......
Continue Reading "9/11 Responders Protest ME's Stand on Ground Zero Deaths"November 26, 2007
Dr. Charles S. Hirsch is the chief medical examiner of New York City and has overseen the autopsies on more than 100,000 people. He would probably remain a mystery to most New Yorkers, if it weren't for his ruling on the death of Det. James Zadroga, who worked clean-up at Ground Zero after September 11, 2001. Hirsch said that Zadroga's death wasn't related to Ground Zero dust, but ground-up pills the detective was allegedly injecting.......
Continue Reading "Medical Examiner Poked, Prodded After Autopsy Verdict"November 10, 2007
The Maricopa County medical examiner found that the death of a New Yorker in police custody at the Phoenix airport was an accident. Carol Gotbaum, who was flying from NYC to Tucson with a stopover in Phoenix, died of "asphyxia by hanging" on September 28. Gotbaum, stepdaughter-in-law of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, had been traveling alone to check into alcohol rehabilitation. When she missed her connection to Tucson, she became upset and disruptive, and......
Continue Reading "Carol Gotbaum Autopsy Reveals Alcohol, Drug Use"November 9, 2007
Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: electric shock on Van Brunt St. in Brooklyn, a bank robbery on Francis Lewis Blvd. in Queens, and a shooting at 185th St. and Tiebout in the Bronx. Anyone can sound more credible with a fake NYC address. Mayor Bloomberg reportedly met with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. A British court ordered that one rich brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah, hand over ownership of the New York Palace Hotel to his......
Continue Reading "Extra, Extra"November 6, 2007
Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg met with Joseph Zadroga, whose son James was a NYPD detective and worked hours of rescue and recovery after the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. James Zadroga's death has been controversial, as the NYC medical examiner's office ruled that his death was not due to exposure to toxic WTC dust but prescription drug abuse, findings that contradicted the expert opinion of two other doctors. Bloomberg entered the fray when he said that......
Continue Reading "Mayor Apologizes to Late Detective's Family"November 5, 2007
The medical examiner's office said the autopsy of top long distance runner Ryan Shay is inconclusive. Shay collapsed during the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on Saturday in Central Park and died shortly after. The ME's office said, "We want to take a closer look at the heart tissue," and will probably come to a conclusion in a week. His father had revealed his son was diagnosed with an enlarged heart at age 14, and Joe......
Continue Reading "Elite Runner's Autopsy Inconclusive"October 31, 2007
Probably realizing that talking smack about a dead former NYPD detective who spent hours at the World Trade Center site working rescue and recovery isn't smart Mayoring, Mayor Bloomberg amended his comments about the late James Zadroga. Though he had said Zadroga "was not a hero" according to science at an event days earlier, the Mayor acknowledged Zadroga's record and told reporters yesterday, "This was a great NYPD officer who dedicated himself, put his life......
Continue Reading "Bloomberg Takes Back Dead Cop-Isn't-a-Hero Remark"October 30, 2007
For better or worse, talk of NYPD detective James Zadroga's death continues to linger. For the past two weeks, the family of Zadroga, who worked hours of rescue and recovery at the pit after the September 11 attacks, and the city's medical examiner's office have been disagreeing about Zadroga's cause of death. Now Mayor Bloomberg has stepped into the fray, discrediting Zadroga's hero status. Two medical experts have supported the family's believe that Zadroga's death......
Continue Reading "Dead WTC Cop "Not a Hero" to Bloomberg"October 27, 2007
Second grader Justin Leith was found by a student in a restroom at PS 205 in the Bronx just minutes after he was excused from class complaining of a stomach ache. A second grader from a different class found Leith unresponsive on the floor of the bathroom and told his teacher, who alerted emergency services. The seven-year-old could not be revived, however, and was declared dead at St. Barnabas Hospital. There didn't appear to be......
Continue Reading "Seven-Year-Old Dies Suddenly in School Bathroom"October 26, 2007
Last week, it was revealed that the NYC medical examiner Dr. Charles Hirsch did not believe WTC dust ultimately killed NYPD Detective Charles Zadroga. Zadroga, who worked rescue and recovery in the World Trade Center debris after September 11, died after a long, protracted battle of a respiratory disease in 2006. Now it turns out that Hirsch thinks Zadroga's death was caused by prescription drug abuse. Zadroga had been taking a number of pills, and......
Continue Reading "M.E. Says Prescription Drugs, Not WTC Dust, Killed Cop"October 25, 2007
Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an injured firefighter on Myrtle Ave. in Queens, a robbery/mobilization on Broadway in Manhattan, and a suspicious death on Sheffield Ave. in Brooklyn. Five Hoboken police officers filed a federal lawsuit claiming discrimination by the town's police department. Their commander allegedly used the "N" word frequently and said "the white race was destined to rule and dominate others." You know you're screwed when you call your City Council representative......
Continue Reading "Extra, Extra"October 20, 2007
The family of late NYPD detective James Zadroga met with city medical examiner Dr. Charles Hirsch. Earlier this week, Hirsch determined that Zadroga, who spent 470 hours working rescue and recovery after the September 11 attacks, did not die from issues directly related to World Trade Center dust. Zadroga's family and the ME's office did not comment about the meeting, with the ME's office spokeswoman saying, "Dr. Hirsch gave his personal assurance to the family......
Continue Reading "Family, ME's Office Meet to Discuss Cop's Death"October 19, 2007
One of the most heartbreaking stories after the September 11 attacks was that of James Zadroga, a NYC police detective. Zadroga had worked rescue and recovery in the debris of the World Trade Center and developed a respiratory disease. Now, over a year after his death, the city's medical examiner has ruled that his death was not caused by toxic WTC dust. Medical examiner Dr. Charles Hirsch wrote a letter to Zadroga's parents (who are......
Continue Reading "ME's Office Says WTC Dust Didn't Kill Detective"October 7, 2007
A look at some of this week's noteworthy television: The Next Iron Chef (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., Food Network) Alton brown hosts this new reality series which searches for the chef for the next season of Iron Chef America. Life Is Wild (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WPIX 11) A widowed doctor moves his family to South Africa and family friendly programming ensues. Mystery!: Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Series 6: Chinese Walls (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., WNET 13; Tuesday, 9:00......
Continue Reading "Noteworthy Television This Week: Rule Britannia "October 4, 2007
The lawyer for the family of Carol Anne Gotbaum, the New York resident who died while in police custody at the Phoenix airport last Friday, continued to blast the Maricopa County medical examiner's office as well as question police tactics. Gotbaum, who was traveling to Tucson for alcohol rehabilitation, had become agitated when she missed the flight. Since they were unable to calm her, police arrested her and left her handcuffed to a bench in......
Continue Reading "Gotbaum Family Lawyer, Phoenix Authorities Face Off"October 3, 2007
A Phoenix medical examiner's autopsy conducted on the body of New York resident Carol Anne Gotbaum was inconclusive. Gotbaum died in police custody at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport on Friday, after she became upset when she missed a connection to Tucson, where she was planning on checking into the Cottonwood de Tucson alcohol rehabilitation center. Police suggested that she died while struggling to break free of her handcuffs; her family, which includes stepmother-in-law Public Advocate......
Continue Reading "Gotbaum Autopsy Inconclusive, 2nd Autopsy Conducted"October 1, 2007
The family of Manhattan resident who died while in police custody at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Friday night is awaiting more details about her death. US Airways and airport police say that Carol Anne Gotbaum, who was married to the stepson of NYC Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, had been acting irately and would not calm down, so she was handcuffed and left in an airport holding cell. Police say they checked on her every 15......
Continue Reading "Questions Surround Carol Anne Gotbaum's Death"September 30, 2007
Manhattan resident Carol Ann Gotbaum, who is married to the stepson of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, died in a Phoenix airport holding cell while in police custody. Phoenix authorities believe she may have died while trying to get out of her handcuffs. Carol Ann Gotbaum, 45, was trying to board a flight to Tucson at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, but arrived too late and was booked on another flight. A US Airways spokesman, Derek......
Continue Reading "Gotbaum's Daughter-In-Law Dies in Phoenix Airport Custody"
