PLAINFIELD, Ind. — Plainfield police are investigating the death of a patient at Hendricks Behavioral Hospital in July 2022.
On July 13, the Hendricks County Coroner's Office received a report of a death of a patient at the hospital.
On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the coroner's office identified the patient as 30-year-old Audrey Elisha Chauntel Birch, of Cincinnati, and said Birch died from intoxication involving several medications: diphenhydramine, olanzapine and methadone.
According to Jason Reese, an attorney representing the family, Birch checked herself into the hospital on July 9 because she was struggling with depression. She was supposed to be checked on every 10 minutes because of her mental state.
Reese said on July 12 at 7 p.m., a nurse documented that Birch was sleeping, but then during a following physical assessment, the nurse found Birch unresponsive. A Code Blue was started, and hospital staff tried to resuscitate her. Birch was then pronounced dead at 10:33 p.m. by EMS.
“Ms. Birch had been at Hendricks Behavioral Hospital for roughly three days and was not reported to be ‘high’ upon admission or experiencing an overdose. Something went seriously wrong in the treatment of Ms. Birch that resulted in her premature death,” Reese said.
The Plainfield Police Department is investigating the hospital’s actions.
Audrey’s mom, Kenyatta Cook, spoke with 13News on Wednesday and said she is extremely heartbroken over the sudden loss of her daughter. Cook said Birch was fun, loving and full of life.
Cook is hoping this investigation will reveal more information on what happened, saying she is frustrated and confused.
Birch leaves behind four daughters that Cook is now taking care of.
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