ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 State House lawmakers passed a bill Thursday to repeal a controversial law, known as Florida\u2019s \u201cfree kill\u201d law.<\/p>\n
The law denies some families the right to sue for certain damages – like grief or loss of companionship – when loved ones die from medical malpractice.<\/p>\n
Under the law, many people like Austin Hodge, who lost his brother, Jarius, have no legal recourse. He claims doctors at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital in Port St. Lucie let his brother die.<\/p>\n
Hodge said this isn’t about money, it\u2019s about accountability. Now, he’s pushing for change.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was my best friend, my twin,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cWe had the same tattoos. We had the same hairstyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hodge, 33, and his younger brother Jarius Hodge, 26, had a close bond<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was a beautiful soul,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cHe had a beautiful heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Jarius followed in his big brother’s footsteps and became a firefighter paramedic with St. Lucie County.<\/p>\n \u201cHe loved going to work, loved working beside me. I loved working beside him,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cHe always pushed me to keep going. He was someone who loved his family, his community and his country.\u201d<\/p>\n Las July, Hodge said his brother caught the flu from a patient at work. The next day on July 22, 2025, he went to Tradition Hospital struggling to breathe but died just hours later.<\/p>\n Hodge claims medical reports showed doctors made several critical mistakes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt took them three attempts to intubate my brother,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cHe didn’t have any prior conditions, was perfectly healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n Under Florida law, only a patient’s spouse or children under the age of 25 can sue for medical malpractice that leads to death.<\/p>\n Jarius was single and didn’t have children. And his parents can’t take legal action because Jarius was older than 25. He\u2019d just turned 26 a couple months before.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is unjust, and it’s been going on for too long,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cHopefully, sadly my brother’s death could bring some awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n