ATLANTA,None — An Atlanta woman plunged 11 stories from a Grady Memorial Hospital window to her death on Tuesday. Atlanta police are investigating whether she fell or jumped out of the window.
The Fulton County Medical Examiners Office identified her as Gloria Shavers. Shavers' family told Channel 2's Erica Byfield they dont think she could have jumped.
"Those windows are sealed. I could not open the window myself when I was up there. There are no handles on the window to pull in and out, so how could she open the window and jump out? No, No, that is not what happened," said Shavers' sister Kathleen Robinson.
Shavers' family said the 60-year-old had a seizure a couple of weeks ago at a MARTA station and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.
They told Byfield she was in the ICU for more than a week and was transferred to a room on the 11th floor in late August.
Her sisters are not convinced she had the strength to walk, let alone open a hospital window.
"If there was negligence on the hospital's part, we want to know what can be done about that," said Shavers' sister Lillie Morris.
"I didn't see her get out of the bed. I don't believe she got out of the bed because they called us two weeks ago and said she could not be by herself because she was too weak to walk," said Robinson.
An Atlanta police spokesperson said officers were called to the hospital at 3:15 a.m. Tuesday and found a woman on the pavement directly below and open window.
Denise Simpson, a spokeswoman for Grady Memorial Hospital sent Channel 2 the following statement, "All of us at Grady are deeply saddened by this morning's tragic event and extend our heart-felt sympathies to the patient's family. We have been in touch with the family since the fall was reported and will continue to keep them apprised of the progress of our still active internal investigation. Windows in patient rooms are designed only to be opened by technicians for maintenance, repairs or other needs. We are trying to determine exactly how the patient was able to get the window open. We are working diligently to uncover all the circumstances that led up to this terrible accident."
WSBTV
