Darelle William “Billy” Red Bear, 1959-2009. Family photo
Trial over death of Lakota man starts
By Brandon Ecoffey
LCT Editor VERMILLION— In January of 2009, Darelle Red Bear, an enrolled citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation, died in an assisted living facility while under the custody of the state of South Dakota. In a court proceeding that began on Wednesday in Vermillion the family is suing the nursing home alleging that the nursing home “failed to provide sufficient staff, services, training and supplies to meet the needs of Darelle Red Bear and the residents of SESDAC, Inc.” According to the civil complaint filed by the family in the First Judicial Circuit Court in Clay County Red Bear had lived in the SESDAC assisted living facility in Vermillion since from 2000 until the time of his death in January of 2009.
YouTube: Honoring Bill Red Bear: Bill's life before SESDAC
The complaint alleges that on January 1, 2009, Red Bear had developed a sickness that included symptoms similar to the flu. Red Bear then reported the sickness to staff members at the assisted care facility. In response staff provided Red Bear with unknown pain killers. Over the course of the next three days Red Bear would grow increasingly sick and the complaint alleges that the facility failed to send Red Bear to a nearby medical facility or provide him with medical care. Instead the facility added cough syrup to the regiment of pain killers. Red Bear’s symptoms worsened and the facility still denied him medical attention or even allow a “qualified medical care professional” to examine him. On the morning of January 4, 2009, Red Bear was found unresponsive by staff and had apparently died after choking on his own vomit. Red Bear was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Strangely, soon after the he was pronounced dead representatives of SESDAC made chose to have Red bear’s body transported to the Hansen Funeral Home where the body was cremated before an autopsy could take place. Then according to the complaint SESDAC “failed in all matters of reasonable respect, decorum or integrity, by not contacting the Decedent’s family when Red Bear died” causing “more pain and suffering and more intense trauma and emotion distress” for the family.
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The family is asking the that the SESDAC awards the family for the physical and emotions suffering of Red Bear, the expenses of Red Bear’s ambulance and funeral costs. Exemplary damages caused by the disregard of Red Bear and his family’s rights, prejudgment interest, and any other relief the court may grant. SESDAC did not respond to requests for comment and are challenging the claims made by the family. The trial is expected to last the remainder of the week. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com) Find the award-winning Lakota Country Times on the Internet, Facebook and Twitter.
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