Family blames water at clinic for father's critical condition
HIALEAH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A family is angry at a South Florida clinic, blaming the water for their father's critical condition.
According to family members of Tony Estevez, Fresenious Medical Care of Hialeah, which provides dialysis for patients, withheld vital information from the family that was slowly killing their father.
His daughter Noemy Estevez can hardly comprehend how they got to this point after only three weeks when her father was exercising with her. Estevez is now recovering from a pentuple bypass.
The younger Estevez said she called to check on her father's condition several times. "We continually contacted the center, and I feel that we were continually told nothing out of the ordinary is going on at the center," said the daughter.
Only after her father had a heart attack did the center admit there was a problem. Fresenious Medical Care of Hialeah told Seven News on Wednesday: "Abnormal conditions in the facility's water system resulting in the presence of chloramine were identified. The abnormal conditions were corrected within 24 hours."
The victim's daughter claimed this was all new information because she always asked the center if there was something wrong. "I just feel that statement in particular does not address us because at no point were we notified. Contrary to that, we notified them," she said.
Last month, the Estevez family said they watched as over the course of the week his condition deteriorated. They said he did not even had the strength to eat. The family's lawyer said its due to the poor water quality at the facility. "While chloramine or chlorine is added to city water to protect the rest of us from bacteria, it kills red blood cells in patients that are on dialysis," explained Robert Boyers, the family's Attorney. "The cover-up is criminal, because, in this case, the cover-up caused the harm," he added.
Fresenious' most recent government inspection last year came up clean, but, in a Jan. 30, 2004 inspection letter, State Health Regulator Renee Fletcher cited the clinic twice because water was not adequately purified, the medical director did not have staff privileges at Palmetto General and patients were dissatisfied with doctors' visits and the amount of contact with their doctor.
The inspector even stated, "This is an accident waiting to happen."
Estevez remains in critical condition at the clinic.
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