Florida hospital sues to evict a patient who won’t leave room 5 months after discharge

WESH TWO NEWS STARTS NOW. AN EMOTIONAL DAY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AS CREWS DEMOLISH THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB. TEN YEARS AFTER THE TRAGIC SHOOTING THAT LEFT 49 DEAD AND COUNTLESS OTHERS INJURED. THIS IS A TIME LAPSE OF THE DEMOLITION AS SURVIVORS WATCH THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WESH 2’S GAIL PASCHALL-BROWN IS THERE LIVE THIS AFTERNOON. GAIL. THIS IS A SIGN OF PROGRESS TOWARD THAT PERMANENT MEMORIAL. THERE. YES, IT IS INDEED IT IS. IN FACT, THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO START THIS SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER OF 2026. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT THIS NEW PERMANENT MEMORIAL AS WE HAVE CONSTANTLY REPORTED. HOWEVER, THE ARCHITECTS HOPE THAT THE NEW SITE WILL BE A PLACE OF HEALING FOR EVERYBODY. WATER IS SPRAYED TO KNOCK DOWN THE DUST OF THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB DEMOLITION. THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB WAS DEMOLISHED WEDNESDAY, NEARLY TEN YEARS AFTER A GUNMAN WALKED INTO THE ORLANDO GAY NIGHTCLUB AND COMMITTED ONE OF THE DEADLIEST MASSACRES IN U.S. HISTORY. SEEING THE BUILDING COME DOWN REMINDS NANCY ROSADO OF SEPTEMBER 11TH. I’M A SURVIVOR OF SEPTEMBER 11TH. I WAS THERE WHEN THE BUILDINGS CAME DOWN. THEY CAME DOWN ON ME. NANCY ROSADO IS A MEMBER OF THE PULSE MEMORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO WORKED ON CREATING A PERMANENT MEMORIAL FOR THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF PULSE. THIS. WHAT I’M HAPPY ABOUT IS THAT IT’S HAPPENING FASTER. THE CLEANUP WILL BE FASTER, AND THE CREATION OF THAT SPACE THAT THE COMMITTEE WORKED ON WILL HAPPEN FASTER THAN WHAT I SAW BACK IN NEW YORK. THE DESIGNERS SAY THEY WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SIT, REFLECT AND IN SOME MEASURES, HEAL. RECENTLY, SOME OF THE PARTIAL IMAGES FROM THE FIRM BORELLI AND PARTNERS OF THE NEW PULSE MEMORIAL WERE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AT ORLANDO CITY HALL. IT HARMED PEOPLE WHO SURVIVED DEEPLY, DEEPLY AFFECTED THEIR LIVES. HERE’S THE ENTRANCE TO THE PRIVATE GATHERING AREA. THE PULSE MEMORIAL DESIGN OVERVIEW ALSO INCLUDED A SURVIVOR’S COMMON. A GREEN SPACE WITH A SURVIVOR’S TREE THAT WILL BE ADJACENT TO THE 3500 SQUARE FOOT VISITORS PLAZA. MIND YOU, THIS IS NOT THE FINAL LAYOUT. 49 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 53 WOUNDED IN THE MASS SHOOTING. YOLIE CINTRON HAS BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OF THE MOTHERS AND SURVIVORS OF PULSE. SHE SAYS THEY HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE DEMOLITION. SOME OF THEM, THEY FEEL LIKE. LIKE DESTROYING THE. THE BUILDING IS LIKE COVERING UP SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, PROOF THAT THEY HAD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF CODING. BUT CODING IN THAT BUILDING, SOME OTHERS, THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE BEGINNING OF, OF HEALING. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW PULSE MEMORIAL IS SET TO BEGIN THIS SEPTEMBER, AND IT’S EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE FALL OF 2027, COVERING ORANGE COUNTY LIVE IN ORLANDO. I’M GAIL PASCHALL-BROWN, WESH TWO NEWS. ALL RIGHT. GAIL. NOW IT’S IMPORTANT TO REFLECT ON WHY THIS IS ALL HAPPENING. IT’S BECAUSE OF THESE 49 PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO. MAY WE AS A COMMUNITY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, REMEMBER THEM? WESH TWO NEWS HAS COVERED PULSE SINCE THE BEGINNING AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS THE CITY BUILDS THE PERMANENT MEMORIAL. YOU CAN FIND ALL OF OUR PREVIOUS STORIES AND UPDATES ON OUR REPORTING ON WESH.COM AND THE WESH TWO MOBILE APP. A FALLEN AMERICAN HERO IS NOW HOME. THE REMAINS OF CAPTAIN CODY CAULK, ONE OF THE FIRST U.S. SOLDIERS KILLED IN THE WAR IN IRAQ, ARRIVED IN LAKELAND THIS AFTERNOON. SERVICE MEMBERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA WERE THERE. WESH 2’S LUANA MUNOZ NOW LIVE IN POLK COUNTY, WITH MORE ON TODAY’S HOMECOMING LUANA. RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE, WHICH WAS ALONG THE PROCESSION ROUTE. THIS IS WHERE MAJOR CAULK GRADUATED. IT’S ALSO WHERE HE STARTED HIS MILITARY CAREER. SO MANY PEOPLE CAME OUT FOR TODAY’S EVENT. THE MASSIVE PROCESSION INCLUDED DOZENS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM POLK COUNTY, THE CITY OF LAKELAND, LAKE WALES, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, JUST TO NAME A FEW. HUNDREDS OF BIKER GROUPS WITH THEIR AMERICAN FLAGS FOLLOWED THAT MASSIVE PROCESSION. MAJOR CORK’S REMAINS ARRIVED AT THE LAKELAND AIRPORT JUST AFTER 1:00 THIS AFTERNOON, HIS FLAG DRAPED COFFIN EXITED THE PLANE BENEATH A MASSIVE UNITED STATES FLAG BEING HELD UP BY TWO FIRE TRUCKS. YOU COULD SEE HIS FAMILY OFF INTO THE DISTANCE TO WELCOME HIM HOME. UNDERSTANDABLY, THEY WERE OVERCOME WITH EMOTIONS. WE TALKED WITH ONE WOMAN WHO ATTENDED TODAY’S EVENT. HERE’S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. I REALLY LOVED HEARING HIS STORY FROM A FEW OF THE CLASSMATES OF HIS, AND THAT CODY WAS VERY FUNNY AND COMICAL. HE WAS A COMEDIAN AND THAT HE WASN’T ONE TO LIKE PEOPLE SAYING THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, BUT RATHER TO GIVE SERVICE TO OTHERS. NOW CORK’S REMAINS WERE TAKEN TO OAK RIDGE FUNERAL HOME OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FAMILY. WE ARE NOT THERE. WE ARE KEEPING OUR DISTANCE AGAIN. WE’RE HERE AT FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE, HIS FINAL RESTING PLACE IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN BUSHNELL NEXT MONDAY. THE FLORIDA NATIONAL CEMETERY, ONCE AGAIN IN BUSHNELL, COVERING POLK COUNTY, LIVE IN LAKELAND. TONIGHT I’M LUANA MUNOZ. WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. LUANA. AND AS CAPTAIN CORK WAS RETURNED HOME, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TRAVELED TO DELAWARE FOR ANOTHER DIGNIFIED TRANSFER. IT IS FOR THE SIX SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN LAST WEEK’S REFUELING PLANE CRASH IN IRAQ. THREE OF THE PEOPLE KILLED IN THE CRASH WERE ASSIGNED TO MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE IN TAMPA, AND OPERATIONS AT MACDILL AIR ARE BACK TO NORMAL AFTER THE BASE RECEIVED A THREAT. TODAY. THE MILITARY DID NOT GIVE US ANY DETAILS, BUT THE THREAT WAS ENOUGH FOR MACDILL TO ISSUE A SHELTER IN PLACE. THAT THREAT HAS SINCE BEEN CLEARED. ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY THEY’VE KILLED ANOTHER TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL, THE THIRD IN THE LASTY AN ISRAELI STRIKE KILLED IRAN’S INTELLIGENCE MINISTER OVERNIGHT, WITH IRANIAN STATE TELEVISION CONFIRMING THE DEATH STRIKES ALSO HIT AN IRANIAN OFFSHORE NATURAL GAS FIELD. OIL PRICES SURGED ABOVE $108 A BARREL, PUSHING UP THE PRICE OF GASOLINE AROUND THE WORLD BACK TO CENTRAL FLORIDA AND ORANGE COUNTY. DEPUTIES CONFIRMED THEY’VE RECOVERED THE BODY OF A 17 YEAR OLD BOY WHO VANISHED AFTER HIS CANOE CAPSIZED IN A LAKE. THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE AND THREE OTHER TEENS WERE IN A CANOE ON LAKE JESSAMINE WHEN IT CAPSIZED MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE OTHER THREE TEENS WERE RESCUED, SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THIS IS STILL AN OPEN CASE, BUT BELIEVE THIS WAS AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING. A CONSTRUCTION WORKER DIED IN A WORKSITE ACCIDENT IN VOLUSIA COUNTY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS 61 YEAR OLD LEE BRUNSON WAS PART OF AN UNDERGROUND DRILLING CREW. HE WAS WORKING AT A SITE OFF OF STATE ROAD 415 AND PIONEER TRAIL YESTERDAY, REPLACING A DRILL HEAD. AN INVESTIGATION SHOWS THE DRILL SHANK ROTATED, BREAKING A CHAIN WRENCH. IT HIT BRUNSON IN THE HEAD, DENTING HIS HARD HAT AND CAUSING DEADLY INJURIES. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS OSHA HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND IS INVESTIGATING. NEW BODY CAMERA. VIDEO IS GIVING US A CLOSER LOOK AT A CONTROVERSIAL ARREST IN DAYTONA BEACH. THE VIDEO SHOWS AN OFFICER REPEATEDLY PUNCHING A MAN AFTER THE OFFICER THREATENED TO TAKE HIM TO JAIL FOR HAVING AN OPEN CONTAINER. WESH 2’S PAMELA COMME REVIEWED MORE THAN AN HOUR OF VIDEO AND BREAKS DOWN WHAT LED UP TO THAT MOMENT. IT ALL STARTED WITH THIS VIDEO ONLINE, SHOWING AN OFFICER ON TOP OF 27 YEAR OLD DAVID ANDERSON. THE VIDEO SHOWS THE OFFICER THROWING SEVERAL PUNCHES AS BYSTANDERS SCREAM FOR HIM TO STOP. OH, THAT’S MY NEWLY RELEASED BODY CAMERA. VIDEO SHOWS WHAT LED UP TO THAT MOMENT AND WHAT THE OFFICER SAYS HAPPENED HERE. POUR IT OUT. YOU CAN POUR IT OUT. ALL RIGHT. IN THAT MOMENT, POLICE SAY ANDERSON THREW A CORK STOPPER AND OFFICER JOLINA SAYS IT HIT HIM. THAT’S WHEN THINGS START TO ESCALATE. GET ON THE GROUND. OFFICERS THEN TAKE ANDERSON TO A PATROL CAR AND THIS NEW BODY CAMERA ANGLE HELPS PAINT A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. OFFICER TELLS ANDERSON HE’S UNDER ARREST FOR BATTERY ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THROWING THAT CORK STOPPER AT HIM. I’M GOING TO PICK YOU OUT. I ALMOST TOOK YOU OUT, DIDN’T I? I DON’T CARE, I ALMOST TOOK YOU OUT, DIDN’T I? YEAH, I PULLED IT OUT, BRO. NO, STOP. LINA’S TAKES HIM TO THE GROUND AND LATER TELLS OTHER RESPONDING OFFICERS WHY I WENT. BENT HIM OVER THE HOOD TO GET CONTROL OF HIM. AT THAT POINT, HE BIT ME ON THE WRIST. IN THE ARREST REPORT, POLICE SAY WHEN ON THE GROUND, ANDERSON WAS RESISTING, PUSHING UP AND GRABBING ONTO LINA’S WRIST. THE INCIDENT SPARKED OUTRAGE IN DAYTONA BEACH, WITH MANY CALLING THE FORCE EXCESSIVE. EVEN THE POLICE CHIEF HAS CALLED IT CONCERNING. ANDERSON WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER TELLING OFFICERS HE WAS HURT. WHAT INJURIES YOU GOT? BOSS? I HAD A I HAD A FRONTAL TEMPORAL ABRASION, SUPERFICIAL. I HAVE A LEFT KNEE ABRASION. AND. ANDERSON CAN BE HEARD QUESTIONING HOW HE WAS HANDLED IN THE CAR FOR NO REASON. ASK YOUR. WHATEVER THIS IS RIGHT HERE. ASK HIM WHY HE THREW ME IN THE CAR COVERING VOLUSIA COUNTY IN DAYTONA BEACH, PAMELA COMME WESH TWO NEWS. THIS CASE IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR REVIEW. THAT OFFICER, ACCORDING TO THE POLICE CHIEF, IS NOW WORKING IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE PENDING THE INVESTIGATION. A WOMAN IS DEAD IN ORANGE COUNTY AFTER DEPUTIES SAY SHE WAS SHOT. WE DON’T HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS AT THIS POINT, BUT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEY FOUND THE WOMAN LATE LAST NIGHT ALONG SOUTH IVEY LANE. DOCTORS PRONOUNCED HER DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL. DETECTIV

Florida hospital sues to evict a patient who won’t leave room 5 months after discharge

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Updated: 4:24 PM EDT Mar 18, 2026

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The patient in Room 373 refuses to leave.Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare earlier this month sued the patient, saying she has refused to depart her hospital room since being discharged last October. The hospital also has asked a state judge in Tallahassee for an injunction ordering the patient to vacate the hospital room and authorizing the county sheriff’s office to assist if necessary.Video above: Top headlines in Central Florida on March 18 The hospital said that resources have been diverted from helping other patients because of her occupation of the room.“Defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care,” the hospital said in the lawsuit.According to the lawsuit, the woman was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and a formal discharge order was issued Oct. 6 after it was determined that she no longer needed acute care services. The hospital has repeatedly made efforts to coordinate her departure with family members and offered transportation to obtain necessary identification, the lawsuit said.Rachel Givens, an attorney for the hospital, said Wednesday that the hospital had no comment. Hospital spokeswoman Macy Layton said Wednesday that the hospital couldn’t discuss active legal matters, in response to emailed questions, including about what type of identification the patient needed. The lawsuit doesn’t say what the patient was treated for, what her hospital bill was or how she was able to stay at the hospital for more than five months despite being discharged.No attorney was listed for the patient, who is representing herself. Phones numbers listed in an online database for the patient were disconnected. No one answered the phone when a call was put through to her room at the hospital.An online court hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for the end of the month.Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals that receive Medicare funds must provide treatment that stabilizes anyone coming to an emergency department with an emergency medical condition, even if the patient doesn’t have insurance or the ability to pay. Hospitals can be investigated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for violations.The patient can be discharged when the clinicians have determined that any further care can be provided as an outpatient, “provided the individual is given a plan for appropriate follow-up care as part of the discharge instructions,” the federal agency said in an operations manual.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —

The patient in Room 373 refuses to leave.

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare earlier this month sued the patient, saying she has refused to depart her hospital room since being discharged last October. The hospital also has asked a state judge in Tallahassee for an injunction ordering the patient to vacate the hospital room and authorizing the county sheriff’s office to assist if necessary.

Video above: Top headlines in Central Florida on March 18

The hospital said that resources have been diverted from helping other patients because of her occupation of the room.

“Defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care,” the hospital said in the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, the woman was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and a formal discharge order was issued Oct. 6 after it was determined that she no longer needed acute care services. The hospital has repeatedly made efforts to coordinate her departure with family members and offered transportation to obtain necessary identification, the lawsuit said.

Rachel Givens, an attorney for the hospital, said Wednesday that the hospital had no comment. Hospital spokeswoman Macy Layton said Wednesday that the hospital couldn’t discuss active legal matters, in response to emailed questions, including about what type of identification the patient needed. The lawsuit doesn’t say what the patient was treated for, what her hospital bill was or how she was able to stay at the hospital for more than five months despite being discharged.

No attorney was listed for the patient, who is representing herself. Phones numbers listed in an online database for the patient were disconnected. No one answered the phone when a call was put through to her room at the hospital.

An online court hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for the end of the month.

Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals that receive Medicare funds must provide treatment that stabilizes anyone coming to an emergency department with an emergency medical condition, even if the patient doesn’t have insurance or the ability to pay. Hospitals can be investigated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for violations.

The patient can be discharged when the clinicians have determined that any further care can be provided as an outpatient, “provided the individual is given a plan for appropriate follow-up care as part of the discharge instructions,” the federal agency said in an operations manual.