A Dolton woman who was discharged while in labor at Franciscan Health Crown Point is receiving care for post-birth issues, a family member said.
Mercedes Wells is receiving care at Community Hospital in Munster, said Lance Thompson, Wells’ brother-in-law. Wells was told that her body is suffering from trauma following the birth of her fourth daughter, Alena.
At about 7 a.m. Sunday, Wells was in excruciating pain and hemorrhaging, Thompson said, and her husband, Leon Wells, called an ambulance, and she was taken to the Community Hospital in Munster.
“They said she’s going through trauma from the difficult delivery, and they gave her medicine, but she’s breastfeeding and has to take smaller doses, so she can still breastfeed,” Thompson said. “She’s still in the hospital now, and they’re doing observations and running various tests.”
Thompson said his family expects that Mercedes Wells will be in the hospital for at least a couple of days while staff continue to monitor her condition. Mercedes Wells didn’t have complications during her pregnancy, Thompson said, and issues didn’t start until she was in labor.
“This has definitely taken a toll on our family, and it’s draining emotionally,” Thompson said. “Knowing that this is constantly on social media and the news, we’re feeling her pain, and we’re trying to have empathy and sympathy for them and the situation.”
Thompson said he and his wife are helping however they can, including by helping with the couple’s children, so Leon Wells can be with Mercedes Wells.
On Friday, Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady announced that the hospital fired the nurse and physician who turned Mercedes Wells away while in active labor.
She then had to give birth to Alena in her car while assisted by Leon Wells, who posted multiple videos taken by Mercedes Wells’ mother, which showed her leaving the hospital, holding her baby in their car and crying while in labor.
The couple was traveling in Northwest Indiana when Mercedes Wells went into labor, according to Post-Tribune archives, and they went to the Crown Point hospital because it was closest. Mercedes Wells gave birth to Alena about two weeks before the baby’s due date.
The couple arrived at the Crown Point hospital at about midnight and were told to leave at about 6:20 a.m., the Wells family said.
Upon arrival, her contractions were about 10 minutes apart, Mercedes Wells said, and the contractions continued to come closer together throughout her time at Franciscan Health Crown Point.
When she was told to leave, the nurse told Mercedes Wells that she wasn’t far enough along, citing orders from a doctor that the couple never saw while at Franciscan Health Crown Point.
In addition to firing the nurse and physician, Grady announced in a statement that he’s mandated cultural competency training for all labor and delivery staff and ensured all patients leaving the unit will be examined by a physician before departure.
“On behalf of Franciscan Alliance and Franciscan Health Crown Point, I apologize to Mrs. Wells and her family for failing to live up to our Franciscan values,” Grady said. “We are committed to holding ourselves accountable through our actions so that every patient is heard and receives compassionate, equitable care. Any evidence of actions to the contrary will not be tolerated.”
