Attorneys for a North Texas woman who was shown in a video screaming through contractions while hospital staff appeared to slow-roll her admission are requesting a meeting with the facility to discuss what happened and the possibility of financial compensation.
In November, a local woman posted a video of her daughter in a waiting area of Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite.
The daughter, a Black woman, was seen twisting in a hospital wheelchair and screaming through contractions, while a hospital staff member calmly asked her questions about her pregnancy.
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The video caption said that the woman in labor, Kiara Jones, was made to wait for more than 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital and that she gave birth 12 minutes later.
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The video went viral and sparked outrage about the treatment of Black women, particularly Black mothers, in medical settings.
A viral video showed medical staff at Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite seemingly delaying admission for a Black woman in labor. This screenshot is from a GoFundMe page started for the woman.
Screenshot from GoFundMe
After the viral video, Jones’ family retained two law firms, including a firm that previously represented the families of George Floyd and Botham Jean, both Black men killed by police.
On the day after Thanksgiving, one of the law firms — Chicago-based Romanucci & Blandin — sent a letter to Dallas Regional Medical Center requesting a meeting with the hospital staff to discuss the hospital’s “corrective steps” as well as potential compensation for Jones.
The firm provided the letter to The Dallas Morning News on Dec. 2 and said that the hospital had not yet responded to the request.
Hospital spokesperson Vince Falsarella did not immediately respond on Tuesday to a phone call or email requesting comment.
In the letter, the firm laid out its concerns about “the gross deficiencies in care that (led) to this unimaginable occurrence.” The letter outlined five reasons for the meeting.
The attorneys, the letter says, want to understand what happened in Jones’ care; examine the hospital’s polices and culture; get an explanation of what steps the hospital has taken to address the problem; and discuss compensation and an apology to Jones.
Finally, the attorneys wrote that they want to collaborate with the hospital going forward, including on providing the public with more information about what happened.
“Dallas Regional’s public statements concerning this event have been vague and non-specific,” the letter says. “The hospital issued only a broad reassurance of commitment to public safety, without clarifying what occurred or what steps have been taken.”
The exterior of the Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
In a previous statement to the media, including to The News, the hospital wrote that it could not provide specifics because of patient privacy concerns.
“At Dallas Regional Medical Center, the safety, dignity, and well-being of our patients are always our highest priorities,” the November statement read.
“We are committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to every person who comes through our doors, and we are reviewing this situation to understand what occurred.”
Jones, according to the letter, is willing to authorize the hospital to release additional information.