Inmate pleads for help for hours before dying in cell, lawsuit says. ‘I’m going to die’
_fitted.png "Nickolas Daniel Norberg was treated at a Minnesota hospital hours before dying in a jail cell. His family is suing.")
The family of a Minnesota man is suing after they say he died as a result of medical neglect from jail and hospital staff.
On Oct. 16, 2022, 37-year-old Nickolas Daniel Norberg was found in a Walmart bathroom huffing an aerosol dust removal spray, according to a federal lawsuit filed by Norberg’s family, which names Stearns County, CentraCare Health System and several jail and hospital employees as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, Norberg had struggled with substance abuse after he sustained a traumatic brain injury during a car crash.
After finding him in the bathroom, a Walmart employee called police and Norberg was arrested at 7:11 p.m. Police used a Taser on Norberg twice during the arrest, the lawsuit said.
Officers took Norberg to a hospital, and while in the police car he “audibly struggled to breathe and complained that he was having difficulty breathing, that he was dying, and that he could feel his heart ‘through [his] chest,’” the lawsuit said.
At one point he told officers, “Oh my god. It’s a heart attack,” and begged for water.
While at the hospital, Norberg continued to beg for water and complained to staff that he was having difficulty breathing.
The lawsuit notes that huffing inhalants can sometimes led to severe dehydration and cardiovascular distress that can require intensive medical monitoring.
“I can’t breathe, I can’t move, I’m going to die,” he said while still handcuffed in a wheelchair, according to the lawsuit.
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Images from police body camera video show Norberg in a hospital room hunched over in a wheelchair. Other images show him on the ground, unable to sit up.
Still, Norberg was released from the emergency room and cleared to be taken to jail roughly 90 minutes after arriving at the hospital. His medical records show he had abnormal test results, a heart rate of 156 bpm and continuous complaints that he could not breathe, according to the lawsuit.
The doctor’s “failure to order a complete cardiac workup after learning of Nick’s condition was in violation of the standard of care,” the lawsuit said.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Nickolas Norberg and the loss of life experienced by his family and loved ones. Due to pending litigation, we cannot comment further at this time,” CentraCare Health Systems told McClatchy News in a statement.
‘Final gasps for air’
When Norberg was taken to the Stearns County Jail, he was not able to stand up and had to be carried in by several officers.
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He had to be propped up against a corner in an elevator to prevent him from falling, images from body camera video show.
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Once in his jail cell, Norberg was “covered in sweat, wheezing, shaking, drooling, unable to speak in full or coherent sentences, and unable to stand on his own,” the lawsuit said.
Because Norberg was tased during his arrest, he was placed on a “taser-watch” and had to be checked on every 10 minutes, according to the court document.
At times he was checked on, Norberg was seen lying naked in his cell and struggling to breathe.
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“At approximately 9:40 p.m., a C.O. glanced into Nick’s cell and saw him hunched over the toilet attempting to drink water,” the lawsuit said. “At 9:47 p.m., a C.O. attempted to give Nick a glass of water. Nick was too weak and distressed to grasp the cup. The C.O. observed Nick spill it onto himself and then collapse.”
Over the next several hours, Norberg continued to vomit, plead for help and lie in distress, the lawsuit said.
At 1:10 a.m., staff ended the taser-watch and Norberg was to be checked every 25 minutes.
“Shortly after this special watch was terminated, Nick made his final gasps for air at 1:23 a.m.,” the lawsuit said.
About eight minutes later, a C.O. checked on Norberg, but did nothing when they saw his “lifeless” body lying in his cell. It was 25 minutes after that when guards and first responders tried to administer first aid, according to the lawsuit.
He was pronounced dead at 2:30 a.m.
Norberg died of cardiac dysfunction.
“More likely than not, Nick would not have died on October 17, 2022, were it not for the failures of” the jail staff, the lawsuit states.
A representative for Stearns County told McClatchy news that it cannot comment on pending litigation.
Norberg’s family is asking for an undetermined amount in damages.
This story was originally published June 3, 2024 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Inmate pleads for help for hours before dying in cell, lawsuit says. ‘I’m going to die’."
