Who Was Sarah Niyimbona? Kids Hospital in Washington Fires 15 Nurses After 12-Year-Old Patient Commits Suicide by Jumping from Fourth Floor
Over a dozen nurses were fired and another disciplined at a children’s hospital in Washington state after a 12-year-old patient took her own life the facility. Sarah Niyimbona, a kind-hearted and “outspoken” middle schooler, died on April 13 after leaving her room at Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane and jumping from the fourth floor of a parking garage, according to the report.
Niyimbona had been admitted to the emergency room several times in 2024 due to previous suicide attempts, according to The Spokesman-Review. The hospital removed crucial safety precautions despite her known history of self-harm — such as 24-hour supervision, a video monitoring system, and a door alarm — and did not properly monitor her on the night she died, Investigate West reported, citing a lawsuit filed by the family.
Hospital’s Negligence
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“I ask what happened. How come she left the room without anybody seeing her? How come she walked all the way to the elevator without anybody seeing her?” her mother, Nasra Gertrude, told the outlet.
“They haven’t given me any answer at all. I trusted this hospital to take care of my daughter.”
Fifteen nurses have since been fired and another reprimanded as investigators question how Niyimbona managed to leave her room without being noticed, The Spokesman-Review reported.
Hospital officials allege the nurses in question accessed Niyimbona’s medical records without being part of her care team, potentially breaching the federal privacy law HIPAA.
The Washington State Nurses Association, which represents the employees, argues that the firings were an act of “retaliation” against nurses who spoke publicly following Niyimbona’s death.
According to the union, the nurses have filed a grievance, a process that “may take considerable time” to settle.
Blame Game On
Providence spokesperson Jen York told the Spokesman-Review that the dismissals were focused on safeguarding patient privacy, explaining that the hospital reviews staff conduct and takes “appropriate action, including termination of employment, were wanted.”
The Washington State Department of Health is still investigating Niyimbona’s death.
Providence told The New York Post that it began an internal review following the incident and has since introduced new measures, such as suicide risk assessments for every patient and protocols for finding missing patients.
A GoFundMe tribute described Niyimbona as a “bright light” who “left a lasting impact on everyone she encountered.”
“We’re confused how this could happen. We also want to know why there wasn’t anyone there at the moment, why there was nobody watching her and how she was able to leave,” her 19-year-old sister, Asha Joseph, told PBS.
