Milwaukee widow files complaint with DHS after husband unexpectedly dies at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee widow told CBS 58 her husband's death will be investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) nearly six months after he died unexpectedly at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital.

"I believe that my husband paid the ultimate price, which was his life, in his visit to Columbia St. Mary's," Tanzanique Carrington said.

Keith Carrington, a beloved principal at North Division High School and a security guard for the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum, died in August 2022 while recovering from surgery.

"Keith was an extraordinary guy," Tanzanique Carrington said. "We just had such an outpouring of love from the community after he passed away because it was so sudden that people just couldn't believe it."

Carrington told CBS 58 she decided to file a complaint with DHS after reading investigative journalism reports on issues within the hospital where her husband died, the same issues she said she noticed during their time in Ascension's care.

"I knew something was not right," Carrington said.

Carrington said her husband was admitted to Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital in August for foot surgery by recommendation of a podiatrist.

"There were red flags from the time that Keith actually entered the emergency room at the hospital," Carrington said.

Carrington said the hospital appeared to be short-staffed and she felt parts of her husband's treatment went overlooked.

She told CBS 58 the surgery went well, but problems persisted in his post-operative care.

On the day Keith Carrington died, Tanzanique Carrington said he was feeling a fever coming on, but otherwise appeared to be recovering well.

Carrington said she got her husband up to use the restroom and when he came out, he was having trouble breathing. His heart stopped minutes later.

Tanzanique Carrington said her husband's death certificate lists his cause of death as septic shock.

Carrington said she believes the health care professionals at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital missed the warning signs of the fatal condition.

Carrington told CBS 58 DHS responded to her complaint on Friday, letting her know an investigation would be initiated.

"It kind of validated my feeling that something was off," Carrington said.

CBS 58 has shared concerns from Ascension employees. Some said they fear the company is "disinvesting" in the community, accusing them of cutting services and staffing to fund private interests.

All of these concerns caught the attention of Senator Tammy Baldwin.

In a letter sent to Ascension CEO Joseph Impicciche on Monday, Baldwin demanded an explanation of how the health care system's activities align with the nonprofit mission it claims to follow.

"When you're a nonprofit, you get tax exempt status, but if your activities are more parallel to what a for-profit entity is doing, you shouldn't enjoy that tax exempt status," Baldwin told CBS 58.

CBS 58 asked an Ascension Wisconsin spokesperson for an interview about the ongoing accusations of disruptions to patient care at Ascension hospitals and a response to Baldwin's letter. The spokesperson denied an interview by sending this statement: 

“Ascension and its physicians, nurses and caregivers are proud of our mission to provide care for those most vulnerable – especially during the past three years of the COVID pandemic – and we look forward to continuing to work with Senator Baldwin on ways to serve the community.”

Carrington said she knows an investigation won't bring her husband back, but she hopes it causes Ascension Columbia St. Mary's to evaluate its policies and patient care.

"Ascension needs to be held accountable for what's happening at their facilities," Carrington said.

DHS provided CBS 58 with its guide on how the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) and Bureau of Health Services (BHS) handles complaints and conducts surveys for concerns including inappropriate or inadequate health care, lack of entity staff training, understaffing and poor-quality care.

The guide states DQA holds the authority to conduct unannounced visits to hospitals to ensure the provider meets state approval and federal certification requirements.