Two new lawsuits have been filed against Mount Carmel health system and the doctor under investigation in dozens of questionable deaths.
Attorneys for the family of 85-year Norma Welch of Columbus say she died within minutes of receiving two potentially fatal doses of fentanyl ordered by William Husel in 2015. That lawsuit, and one filed on behalf of Jeremia "Sue" Hodge of Columbus in April brings to eight the number of lawsuits filed against Husel and Mount Carmel. David Schroyer is the attorney for the Hodge family.
Earlier this month, Mount Carmel admitted that Husel had ordered excessive doses of pain medication, including fentanyl, for at least 34 patients between 2015 and 2018, and issued a public apology. Officials say they reported the suspicious deaths to authorities in December, and are now investigating whether the patients in question were near death or could have survived.
In addition to Mount Carmel and Husel, the lawsuits name pharmacist Talon Schroyer and nurse Tyler Rudman. Twenty Mount Carmel employees are on leave pending investigation.
