Whistleblower accuses DMC of covering up patient rape, sues for wrongful termination

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A woman accused the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) of covering up at least two incidents in which a patient was raped by another patient in the psychiatric department. Then she was fired.

Lakisha Davis of Detroit was a mental health technician at the DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, hired in 2016, but says she was unjustly fired in June 2024 for advocating for patient protection and attempting to report DMC leadership's negligence to authorities after two alleged rape incidents in the hospital's crisis center. 

Represented by Attorney Azzam Elder, Davis has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Detroit Receiving Hospital and DMC, citing wrongful termination, retaliation and slander.

According to the lawsuit, a psychiatric patient was raped in April 2024 due to insufficient staffing and poor supervision –and with no substantial changes made to prevent further incidents– another similar assault occurred on June 2, 2024.

During a Tuesday press conference and demonstration held outside the Detroit Receiving Hospital, Davis said she was not working during either incident.

The lawsuit states that Davis first saw footage of the second assault while a manager was reviewing security video as part of routine procedures. 

"I was shocked, like, is this really happening to this patient? (Are) they really going to do something about this? And I see they didn't do nothing but fire me and put false allegations on me, saying that I recorded the video and showed it around the hospital, which is not true," the whistleblower said. "Others saw it, but I came forward and reported to the security guard."

DMC whistleblower Lakisha Davis

Davis worked in the hospital's crisis center, where typically only two nurses and one technician were taking care of about 22 patients at a time, she said. 

"It's an unsafe environment, they're short of staff," Davis added. "It's just unsafe."

After the June 2 incident, DMC brought in a team of crisis managers to address ongoing issues, the lawsuit states. Despite her efforts to get hospital security to preserve the video and submit it to law enforcement, Davis was told not to speak to anyone about the alleged sexual assault, including the patient and her family.

The lawsuit also accuses the DMC of firing several other employees, in addition to Davis, who knew of the assaults – and then paying the victim in the June 2 incident to stay silent.

"Within days of the assault, the victim, still under significant emotional distress, was pressured into accepting a monetary settlement that was grossly inadequate compared to the harm she suffered," according to Davis' legal complaint. The patient was also coerced "into signing a settlement agreement that released DMC and its corporate owner, Tenet Health, from all liability."

Rev. W.J. Rideout, who joined the whistleblower and her attorney during the press conference, called on Attorney General Dana Nessel and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Dawn Ison to investigate and take appropriate action against the DMC. 

Left to right: Lakisha Davis, Attorney Azzam Elder and Rev. W.J. Rideout.

"It's profits over people – that's what we're dealing with," Rideout said. 

Detroit police said the department is aware of both cases at the Detroit Receiving Hospital.

"The April case was investigated and submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and waiting to be reviewed," according to DPD. "The June 2nd case is still open and actively being investigated. There are no arrests at this time."

However, in a statement to FOX 2 Detroit, the DMC denied Davis' allegations, called the lawsuit "baseless," and said Davis is a "disgruntled fired employee" who is looking to "personally benefit from an unfortunate situation."

DMC whistleblower Lakisha Davis with Attorney Azzam Elder, Rev. W.J. Rideout, and others protesting outside the DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024.

"Lakisha Davis was terminated for violating HIPAA Privacy Rules designed to protect patients, violation of DMC’s Policies and repeatedly lying about her role in the investigation. In fact, Ms. Davis was already on a final notice and had recent disciplinary action before her termination," according to the DMC. "It appears that Ms. Davis’ lies continue following her loss of employment. In her lawsuit, Ms. Davis indicates that she repeatedly raised concerns about this incident, however in the union grievance filed after her termination, she claims that she ‘never at no time accessed any video and at no time did (she) report any incident.'

"The DMC is fully cooperating with regulatory agencies and has taken appropriate actions to ensure patient safety."

The lawsuit seeks to compensate Davis for her emotional distress, tarnished professional reputation, and financial losses due to what is claimed to be a retaliatory firing, according to Davis' attorney, Elder. It also seeks to hold DMC leadership accountable.

"This woman deserves her reputation to be restored," Elder said. "Hopefully, we will get justice. It's just a matter of time."