Disabled Woman Received Vinegar Instead Of Colonoscopy Prep. Secrecy Shrouds Her Death

By Austin Jenkins
In February of 2019, a 64-year-old developmentally disabled woman named Marion Wilson died after being given cleaning vinegar instead of colonoscopy prep medicine. Since then, the details of what happened have remained a closely guarded secret. Illustration by Ryleigh Brimhall
The Spokane County Medical Examiner determined Mary Wilson, a developmentally disabled woman, died from ingesting household vinegar. The cleaning strength product, with six percent acidity, had inflamed and killed the tissue in Wilson’s esophagus, stomach and small bowel resulting in her death. Her caregiver was supposed to give her prescribed liquid ahead of a colonoscopy.Read More

Washington Supreme Court Rules State Lawmakers Are Subject To Public Disclosure Law

By Austin Jenkins
File photo of the Washington Senate gallery. CREDIT: WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE
In a 7-to-2 decision, the Washington Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that individual state lawmakers are subject to the state’s Public Records Act (PRA) and therefore must disclose records such as emails and calendars. In doing so, the high court upheld a lower court ruling and delivered a significant victory to media outlets that sued over access to lawmaker records. Read More

Washington State Racks Up Contempt Orders, Fines As Developmentally Disabled Patients Languish

By Austin Jenkins
Dawn Akerman and her brother Fred pose while having lunch together before he returned to the hospital in June. Courtesy of Dawn Akerman
In recent months, court commissioners on both sides of the Cascades have found the state of Washington in contempt, and even imposed fines, over access to state psychiatric care for people with severe developmental disabilities. The cases involve people who’ve been found to pose an imminent risk to themselves or others, but are languishing in local hospitals.Read More
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