An Arizona family has initiated legal action, filing a wrongful death lawsuit after their 27-year-old son, Kaelen Lachica, tragically passed away mere hours after what they describe as a wrongful discharge from a hospital. The family contends that their son was effectively abandoned on a Phoenix sidewalk on a scorching summer day, despite his severely compromised health. This incident has ignited a demand for accountability and systemic change from the medical institution involved.
Seth and Gayle Lachica, Kaelen’s parents, assert that personnel at Abrazo Health Arrowhead arranged for an Uber to transport their son and drop him off outside a local homeless shelter in Phoenix. This occurred even as Kaelen's physical state was rapidly deteriorating. "What they did is abandonment. I mean, they absolutely killed my son,” Seth Lachica conveyed to Fox News Digital, emphasizing the gravity of their allegations.
Hospital Discharge Sparks Controversy and Legal Action
The tragic events unfolded following Kaelen Lachica's hospitalization in August 2025. Although Kaelen had battled anorexia for nearly a decade, his father noted a significant improvement in his condition during the year prior to this particular admission. Kaelen was initially admitted to one medical facility before being transferred to Abrazo Health Arrowhead due to a suspected stroke and subsequent weight loss, indicating a serious health crisis.
The lawsuit details a severe decline in Kaelen's health days before his discharge, rendering him "delusional" and "immobile." On August 13, 2025, Kaelen reportedly became agitated, striking a nurse and requesting to leave the hospital "against medical advice," according to the family’s attorney, Richard Lyons, speaking to Fox News Digital. Despite his precarious state, hospital staff allegedly arranged for an Uber, paid for by the hospital, to take him to a downtown Phoenix homeless shelter.
Negligence Claims Surface Amidst Patient Abandonment Allegations
A central point of contention in the lawsuit is the claim that Kaelen was unable to recall his address at the time of discharge. However, his address was readily available and clearly documented within his medical records, accessible to hospital staff. "I mean they literally got him in a wheelchair and pushed him outside and discharged him," Lyons stated, clarifying that this was an "eviction" rather than a medical discharge, suggesting the hospital sought to remove him as a patient.
Following his discharge, Kaelen was discovered collapsed on a sidewalk by a police officer, amidst triple-digit temperatures. His father was notified of his son's discharge in the early morning hours. After desperately searching the area where Kaelen had been dropped off, Seth Lachica tragically found emergency responders administering CPR to his son in the street. "I told them not to release him. They f—— Ubered him here,” Lachica reportedly told officers, adding, “They Ubered him here this morning and just f—— dropped him off to die.”
Family Seeks Justice for Wrongful Death
Kaelen Lachica was subsequently transported to another hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his condition. The lawsuit alleges that Abrazo staff acted with a "conscious disregard" for Kaelen’s safety and well-being. The legal filing starkly contrasts the hospital’s actions with expectations, stating, "One would not expect a bouncer at a bar to dump an incapacitated patron onto a hot Phoenix sidewalk in the middle of August — let alone the staff at a hospital."
The lawsuit concludes that Abrazo staff’s decision to abandon their "very sick young patient" on a Phoenix sidewalk in August directly led to Kaelen’s death, characterizing the conduct as beyond mere negligence or medical malpractice. Abrazo Health has declined to comment on the ongoing litigation when approached by Fox News Digital. Photos from Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)/YouTube show Seth Lachica and first responders at the scene where Kaelen was left after his discharge, underscoring the tragic circumstances.
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