Winnipeg man calls for improved patient safety after mother, 94, attacked in hospital

A Winnipeg man whose mother, 94, was assaulted by another patient at St. Boniface Hospital says hospitals need to re-evaluate how patients are paired in shared rooms.

Maria Capizzi was moved from her personal care home and admitted to the hospital on Jan. 9 when her health began to decline. 

According to her son, Tony Capizzi, she was initially placed in a room with another woman. The following day, however, he received a call from a nurse saying otherwise.

"’I'm sorry to tell you this … I've never seen anything like this, but your mother was assaulted. The patient next to her’ -- it was a man, I found out it was a man, Capizzi recalled -- ‘tried to suffocate her with a towel.’"

Hospital staff intervened and stopped the attack, Capizzi said.

Following the incident, Maria Capizzi was moved to comfort care. Her alleged attacker was transferred to another ward.

Capizzi says he was troubled to learn from hospital staff that the man was known to them from previous visits.

“One of the staff told me that this guy is a repeat customer,” he said. “He told me that this individual should be jailed or should be in a psychiatric ward because he’s always here.”

Maria Capizzi’s health continued to decline, and she died the following week. Her family says her death was unrelated to the incident.

Winnipeg police confirmed a 49-year-old man charged with assault in connection with the incident was released on a promise to appear in court. Police say the man is known to them but didn't release his name or details about previous interactions.

Capizzi believes an assault charge does not reflect the seriousness of what happened.

“I think it’s attempted murder, to tell you the truth,” he said. “If she wasn’t screaming … and the nurse [didn’t] come to see what was going on, I think she would have been a goner.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said violence is something no patient should have to worry about while receiving care.

"To ensure everyone’s safety after this incident, health-care teams worked collaboratively to develop appropriate care plans for both patients,” the WRHA spokesperson said in an email.