The family of a woman who died in a senior living facility is suing the city of Philadelphia. The lawsuit claims that EMS workers couldn’t get into the woman’s building during the medical emergency and then left. NBC10’s Lili Zheng has the details.
The family of a woman who died inside a senior living facility is suing the housing center, the owner, property manager and city of Philadelphia after claiming the EMS workers who responded to her were unable to get inside the building.
Geneva Scott Mackrides, 74, lived inside the Anthony Wayne II Senior Housing Center on 1701 South 28th Street in Philadelphia.
During the overnight hours of Dec. 23, 2023, Mackrides was inside the facility when she experienced a medical episode. Mackrides’ family said she hit the panic button on her medical alert device, notifying the city’s emergency services.
Family members said Mackrides collapsed when the EMS workers arrived and she was unable to buzz them in.
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“So what happens at that point? Well, it’s every family’s worst nightmare,” the family’s attorney, Emeka Igwe, said. “To have EMS respond and leave.”
The EMS workers were unable to get inside the building and left as Mackrides remained unresponsive on the floor, according to the family.
Mackrides’ son, Ronald Scott of Willingboro, New Jersey, had set up Ring cameras inside the building and his mother's room to keep an eye on her.
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Scott said he received a phone call from the medical alert company hours after his mother’s medical emergency notifying him that she had activated her emergency distress but there had been no follow up.
Scott said he then looked at the Ring camera and saw his mother unresponsive on the floor. Scott then contacted the medical alert company again, asking that they resend the EMS workers to the housing center. He then traveled from his Willingboro home to the Philadelphia building. By then it was already too late and Mackrides had died, according to the family.
“No one’s reached out to me,” Scott said. “They even sent me a bill for the ambulance, then they left. I was like, ‘This is unbelievable.’”
In addition to the city of Philadelphia and the housing center, Mackrides’ family also sued the Altman Management Company – the property manager of the building – as well as the Elon Group – the owner of the building.
According to the lawsuit, Philadelphia police told Scott it was a common occurrence for emergency responders to be unable to gain access inside the housing center.
The lawsuit also states Philadelphia police had notified the Altman Management Company that their inability to access building residents was a significant safety hazard. The housing center as well as the Elon Group were also aware of the safety issue, according to the lawsuit.
“At all times relevant hereto, Defendants Anthony Wayne II Housing, Elon, and Altman knew or should have known that the lack of ability for emergency responders to access residents caused a hazard to the safety and health of the residents, specifically, Plaintiff Decedent and others similarly situated,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit also states that Mackrides’ death was caused solely by “the negligence and carelessness” of the defendants who failed to provide appropriate security measures for the seniors in the building and failed to provide access for emergency personnel.
NBC10 visited the housing center on Thursday but saw a sign by the entry which stated the office was closed.
Scott, meanwhile, said he hopes his mother’s story brings accountability.
“The city of Philadelphia and the Housing Authority, they failed us,” he said.
The family is seeking at least $50,000 from every party listed in the lawsuit.
NBC10 reached out to the city of Philadelphia for a response but they declined to comment, saying they have not been served the lawsuit. NBC10 also reached out to the Altman Management Company multiple times on Thursday. We have not yet heard back from them.
Editor's note: Previous versions of this article listed Geneva Mackrides as a Life Alert customer per the family and their lawsuit. Life Alert reached out to NBC10 on Friday, March 7 claiming she was not a client.
