Lawsuit: 2 Wyoming mental patients dead, procedures ignored

By MEAD GRUVER
Associated Press

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A lawsuit alleges two Wyoming State Hospital patients died while staff at the mental health institution failed to follow procedures in several recent food choking, neglect and medication error incidents. Protection & Advocacy System, Inc., filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cheyenne. The lawsuit against the Wyoming Department of Health and state hospital directors seeks to force the release of video recordings inside the hospital. Health department director Kim Deti declined to comment Monday. The lawsuit describes one patient choking to death on food and another subject to 15-minute safety checks being found dead and cold in their room.