"Female Patient Allegedly Breaks into Hospital Room and Disconnects Ventilator of Pneumonia Patient"

A PSYCHIATRIC patient is accused of killing a vulnerable hospital man by ripping out his breathing tube after wandering into his room unchallenged.

The unfolded inside Durand Hospital in Buenos Aires, where the woman allegedly stormed into the ward and disconnected a life-saving ventilator.

Carlos G. Durand General Hospital Buenos Aires where the suspected incident happened Credit: instagram/@hospitaldurand The woman allegedly stormed into the ward and disconnected a life-saving ventilator. Credit: Getty

Victim Jose Ignacio had been battling bilateral pneumonia and was placed in an induced coma – but was said to be showing signs of improvement before the shocking incident.

His family say the suspected killer was discovered standing beside his bed – clutching the oxygen tube that had been inserted into his trachea.

She had reportedly walked around 200 metres from the psychiatric unit where she was being treated to reach him.

The victim’s son, German Sequeira, revealed the moment the family were told the devastating news.

He said: “We got an emergency call asking us to go to the hospital and when we arrived the head of intensive care gathered us together in a room.

“There he told us that my dad had suffered a heart attack, and that when they went to the room where he was hospitalized, they found this woman standing in front of the bed holding the oxygen tube that goes into the trachea in her hand. She had pulled it out.”

He said his father should have been in intensive care but was instead placed in an intermediate ward due to a lack of beds.

“She had walked around 200 metres from the place where she was being assisted to the room my dad was in,” he explained.

“We want to know what she was doing there and so far no-one has been able to explain it to us.

“My dad was unable to breathe properly when he was admitted.

“When they ran tests, they found he had bilateral pneumonia and decided to intubate him and place him in an induced coma.

“His outlook was somewhat encouraging because on the first day he had a fever and poor oxygenation, but the rest of the days he remained stable.”

Hospital staff later confirmed in a statement that a psychiatric patient had disconnected the ventilator that was keeping Jose Ignacio alive.

Union delegate Hector Ortiz said the woman had already been caught earlier in the week wandering into restricted areas she had no right to access.

The fatal incident happened just before midday last Friday.

The woman is now being held in another hospital room under guard.

Two investigations have been launched – one by the hospital itself and another by a local court – as authorities scramble to understand how such a catastrophic breach could happen.

Regional ministry officials said: “Last Friday morning the death of an extubated patient was confirmed under circumstances that are being investigated.

“In the same room, and within the same time frame, the presence of a person unrelated to the healthcare team was verified.

“It has not been possible to establish any connection with the event described but the corresponding summary proceedings are being initiated from the hospital.”

Durand Hospital – one of Buenos Aires’ main public hospitals – has now come under intense scrutiny.

Originally opened in 1913, the facility was largely rebuilt in the 1970s – but now faces serious questions over patient safety after the chilling death.