County mental patient died from complications of obesity, sleep apnea
A 57-year-old man died last July at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex because of complications of morbid obesity and sleep apnea, according to a finding by the medical examiner's office released Thursday.
The patient, Paul W. Haugan, was found dead at the complex early July 28. Haugan had difficulty breathing and had been wearing an oxygen mask the day before, according to a federal inspector's report. But he broke the mask while yanking it from his face. A nurse told investigators she didn't place a new mask on Haugan because he was sleeping, the report says.
It also found that nursing staff were checking Haugan every 30 minutes rather than every 15 minutes, which a doctor had ordered.
The Mental Health Complex was issued two citations each from state and federal health officials. The state approved the county's plan to correct procedural shortcomings in September.
Haugan, who was a symphony tuba player, had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and also had cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner's report.
He weighed 375 pounds, according to the report.
The determination of the cause of death for Haugan was delayed while the medical examiner did a second review, said Brendan Conway, a spokesman for County Executive Chris Abele.
The extra review was done because the initial review of Haugan's death had been done by Christopher Poulos, an assistant medical examiner who also did the controversial review of the death of Derek Williams, who died in police custody, Conway said. Poulos initially determined that Williams died of natural causes but acknowledged he failed to ask for or review police reports or video.
After the Journal Sentinel disclosed the video and reports, Poulos changed his ruling from natural causes to homicide in Williams' death.
The revised finding does not mean a crime was committed. To medical examiners, homicide means "death at the hands of another."
Also Thursday, the County Board adopted a formal policy requiring steps to be taken by the medical examiner when someone dies in police custody. The provisions, prompted by Williams' death, include: review of all police reports and audio or video recordings; peer review of proposed findings; and agreement in the cause of death by the chief medical examiner.
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