Family Files Lawsuit After Woman Dies of Hypothermia on Hospital Roof

Chelsea Adolphus, 28, was found unresponsive after spending nearly seven hours on a rooftop in freezing temperatures, raising concerns about hospital safety measures.

Chelsea Adolphus was admitted to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, Illinois, on January 22 and was later found unresponsive on the hospital's roof wearing only a gown.
She was exposed to freezing temperatures for nearly seven hours before being discovered and later died of hypothermia despite 14 hours of resuscitation attempts.
The hospital has launched an internal investigation, while Adolphus' family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit citing negligence, premise liability, and medical malpractice.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek has raised concerns about the hospital's safety protocols, noting that the door to the roof lacked alarms and could not be re-entered from outside.
The coroner also highlighted systemic issues at the hospital, including staffing cuts and previous safety violations, and has called for accountability from the facility's parent company.