Deceased
Cassilla Ellen Dooley
Demographics
34y, female
Coroner
Deputy State Coroner Paresa Spanos
Date of death
2011-03-07
Finding date
2013-09-04
Cause of death
Mixed drug toxicity (ethanol, methadone, diazepam and risperidone)
AI-generated summary
Cassilla Ellen Dooley, a 34-year-old woman with chronic mental illness and substance dependence, died from mixed drug toxicity involving ethanol, methadone, diazepam, and risperidone at a supported housing facility. She was found unresponsive in her room approximately one hour after a registered nurse assessed her as intoxicated but not requiring emergency services. A toxicologist noted that her recent missed methadone doses would have lowered her tolerance, increasing CNS depression risk. Emergency physicians advised the nurse's decision to monitor rather than escalate was within reasonable care standards given Cassie could walk, communicate, and showed no coma signs. The coroner found no clinical management failures. Key lessons include: establishing clear, documented communication protocols for welfare checks in supported housing, ensuring intoxication policies address polysubstance interactions, and recognizing that missed doses in opioid-dependent patients significantly increase overdose risk even at previously tolerated doses.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
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