15 US Hospital Nurses Fired After 12-Year-Old Patient Jumps to Her Death: What Happened to Sarah Niyimbona?

On 13 April, Sarah Niyimbona's family lost their 'shining light'. The 12-year-old middle school student, remembered as kind and vocal by those who knew her, died after jumping from the fourth floor of a parking garage at Providence Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington.

According to The Spokesman-Review, Sarah had been brought to the emergency department multiple times in 2024 for suicide attempts. On that fatal night, she somehow left her hospital room undetected and made her way to the parking structure—a journey that should have been impossible for a high-risk patient.

The Shocking Fallout

In an unprecedented move, the hospital terminated 15 nurses and disciplined another following Sarah's death. Hospital leadership claims the nurses improperly accessed the girl's medical records without being directly involved in her care—a potential violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

But a lawsuit filed by Sarah's family, cited by Investigate West, paints a disturbing picture of negligence.

According to the lawsuit, the hospital reportedly removed essential safety measures for her, despite her history of self-harm. These included a constant sitter, a video monitor, and a door alarm. The lawsuit also claims the hospital failed to watch over her on the night she died properly.

'I ask what happened. How come she left the room without anybody seeing her? How come she walked to the elevator without anybody seeing her?' her mother, Nasra Gertrude, told the outlet. 'They haven't given me any answer at all. I trusted this hospital to take care of my daughter.'

Retaliation or Rightful Termination?

The Washington State Nurses Association has condemned the firings as 'retaliation', arguing the real reason nurses were sacked was for speaking to journalists about the tragedy. The union has filed a grievance on behalf of the terminated staff—a process they acknowledge 'could take a long time' to resolve.

Jen York, a Providence spokesperson, told The Spokesman-Review the terminations were necessary to protect patient privacy. The hospital, she said, investigates all conduct concerns and takes 'appropriate action, including termination of employment, where warranted'.

Searching for Accountability

The Washington State Department of Health has launched an investigation into Sarah's death.

In a statement to The Post, Providence said it began an internal investigation after Niyimbona's death and has since put new rules in place. These include suicide risk screening for all patients and procedures for finding missing patients.

But for Sarah's family, these changes come too late. Her 19-year-old sister, Asha Joseph, told PBS: 'We're confused how this could happen. We also want to know why there wasn't anyone there at the moment, why nobody was watching her and how she was able to leave.'

A GoFundMe page established in Sarah's memory describes her as someone who 'touched the hearts of everyone she met'—a bright young life extinguished far too soon, leaving behind questions that demand answers and a system that desperately needs reform.