TAMPA -- A man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit after his sister, an Orange County prosecutor, was allegedly attacked by a man who escaped a hospital.
Sean J. Hartigan, as personal representative of the Estate of Erin E. Hartigan, deceased, filed a complaint on June 11 in Orange County Circuit Court against Orlando Health, Inc. d/b/a Orlando Regional Medical Center for negligence.
According to the complaint, on Aug. 16, 2020, William Franklin was a visitor at Orlando Health when a Missing Persons Case Report was generated by Officer Elizabeth Eleby of the Orlando Police Department. Quintina Clay had reported her "husband" William Franklin had walked out of Orlando Health with an IV in his arm, the suit says.
Clay stated that William Franklin was in the hospital due to narcotics that were given to him for his birthday on August 13, 2020. Approximately 15 minutes later, Erin E. Hartigan's mother, Lorraine Hartigan, called 911 to advise that there had been an attack in her home, the suit says.
When police arrived, they found Erin lying on the floor with a large pool of blood around her head. The man who attacked Erin was later identified as William Franklin, who later was overheard saying that he "did not mean to kill that lady."
Sean J. Hartigan is represented by Rudwin Ayala.
Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit in and for Orange County, Florida filing number 128570502