Hospitals open probe into graphic photos of American tourist

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, May 30, 2023 – An internal investigation has begun at the TCI Hospitals into how photos of a victim who lost her foot in a “reported Shark Attack” last week surfaced on social media as the possibility of legal action looms.

“The Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital is extremely concerned about the photos being circulated and have commenced an immediate investigation into the source of the photos,” they said in a statement to Magnetic Media.

The investigation will determine whether graphic photos of the injured woman came from within the TCI Hospital, it’s a slip up that if confirmed, could lead to a possible lawsuit.

Reports from official agencies confirmed that on Wednesday May 24th the young woman was carried from the waters of Grace Bay, where she was attacked.  Medics were awaiting the trauma patient at the Leeward Marina; those aiding the American tourist inform she was taken straight to shore and picked up in minutes by emergency workers. She was then taken swiftly to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre before being airlifted some hours later.

Within hours, photos of the recent Yale University graduate who completely lost her foot, surfaced all over social media. The images were not only of her severed foot but the bloody stump appeared online.

It is believed a Caribbean Reef Shark mistook the young woman for prey and bit her as she snorkeled a popular reef near Providenciales.

However it is the behavior of people on land drawing concern about how much is too much and possible breaches in confidentiality.

In those photos, viewers can see several things:

• An arm with blue gloves on holding the young woman’s severed foot over what appears to be a medical container of ice
• Two sets of arms holding the severed body part while another photo is taken from a different angle and;
• The young woman’s mutilated leg as hands reach to wrap in it medical gauze

Based on the photographs they had to have been taken with the knowledge of at least three people present, in addition at least one had to have been taken while the young woman lay bleeding on a gurney.  It’s not clear yet whether the confidentiality breach happened inside the medical centre.

Hospital officials are well aware of the gravity of the situation, when we questioned them on whether it was normal to take photos of patient;’ injuries they said

“This investigation is still ongoing.  There are times when it is appropriate for health and forensic professionals to take photos for plan of care and injury documentation, however, such photos are subject to strict professional ethics and patient confidentiality standards.”

Those professional standards likely do not include sharing images via social media or outside the hospital at all.  The photos have now been spread via whatsapp and posted on Facebook.

The young woman was medically evacuated to the US late on Wednesday night, we are told by the TCI Hospitals.

It is less clear if doctors abroad were able to reattach her foot.