Family Has More Questions Surrounding Tulsa County Jail Inmate's Injury

<p>Family members of a Tulsa County Jail inmate now know why their loved one ended up in the hospital. But, after looking at his medical records, the Busby family has more questions.</p>

Wednesday, June 15th 2016, 11:15 pm

By: News On 6


Family members of a Tulsa County Jail inmate now know why their loved one ended up in the hospital. But, after looking at his medical records, the Busby family has more questions for the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

On Monday, News On 6 and The Frontier spoke with Trini Brown, who says her brother, Torhres Busby, got badly hurt at the jail. Authorities wouldn't tell her what happened to him, Brown says, citing the HIPAA law.

6/14/2016 Related Story: Woman Wants Answers After Brother Injured At Tulsa County Jail

After the story aired, the jail gave the family access to Busby's medical records, with the help of an attorney.

After weeks of not knowing what led to his father's injury, Nick Busby now has answers.

"Seeing that now, we're seeing the dates and what happened," Nick said. "There's gaps, tremendous gaps."

Records state Torhres Busby first told authorities he'd been vomiting for two hours prior to 4:20 a.m. on June 6.

The jail moved Busby into a medical unit, where a licensed nurse monitored him.

A few hours later, around 9:45 a.m., Busby got up to get his vitals checked. Once he stood up, he got dizzy and blacked out, hitting his head on the bunk.

The nurse documented cleaning the cut on his head. The treatment she recommended was, "lay on side on mat on floor. Be careful getting up and get up slowly," records state.

Records show it wasn't until the next evening, around 6:30, that Busby was taken to the hospital.

The medical expert wrote Busby had "altered mental status, needs head CT [scan]. Fall and laceration to left brow. Unable to stand, altered equilibrium."

Nick and Trini now know Busby suffered a brain hemorrhage. They wonder why it took the jail a day and a half to take Busby to the hospital after he fell.

"They didn't react fast enough," Nick said. "There are gaps in the treatment method; basically, they didn't treat him, they just left him to lay there."

They also want to know why deputies transported Busby in a patrol car, not an ambulance.

But Sheriff Vic Regalado said jail personnel followed protocol from the moment Busby told them about his symptoms.

"There's really not anything else we could have done," Regalado said. "From a jail staff standpoint, we're not medical professionals, so we depend on the medical provider to dictate when someone should go to the hospital."

Regalado said medical personnel also decide if the inmate needs an ambulance or if a patrol car will suffice.

"They followed protocol," Regalado explained, "including transportation of him. He's receiving medical care."

The family said a Major from the jail allowed them to visit Busby on Wednesday, for which they were grateful.

They said Busby will now have to go through physical rehabilitation.


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