CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Eyewitness News learned a family is suing Carolinas HealthCare System, saying hospital staff could have prevented the deaths of two parents and their children.
Kenneth Chapman killed his wife and two children in March 2010. He forced his other two children to live with the dead bodies for two weeks. Then, he killed himself.
Attorneys for the victims' family repeatedly accuse the hospital of violating policies. They say Chapman tried to get psychiatric help at CMC-Randolph twice in the months leading up to the shootings.
Attorneys say on March 16, 2010, Chapman told the staff he wanted to kill his wife. The lawsuit says Chapman was discharged both times after being evaluated and issued prescriptions.
Within hours of leaving the hospital, attorneys say Chapman murdered his wife. He later murdered two of their children.
The lawsuit includes a document from the State Department of Health and Human Services that states the hospital failed to warn a potential victim of a patient's threats to harm her. It asks for thousands of dollars in damages.
Eyewitness News contacted Carolinas HealthCare officials. They gave us a statement saying Chapman was appropriately evaluated, monitored and treated.
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