Woman outraged EMS worker who improperly treated her elderly dad got promoted, not punished

FOX 2 - Leondra Taylor is outraged at the treatment her father received from a Detroit EMS paramedic with a checkered past who despite documented issues before, received a promotion.

Taylor's been worried about her dad, 78-year-old Leon Remus, who is living in a rehabilitation facility after he fell backward off the curb in front of his senior living building back in February.

"He's very alert and he's trying to remain positive, but he just has to relearn a lot of things," said Leondra Taylor.  "He ended up with a brain bleed and they took as much blood out as they could, but apparently they didn't take enough because a month later he was back in Detroit Receiving and they did have to operate on him."

He's been unable to walk ever since - but that's only one of Leondra's concerns. She learned the paramedics who initially transported her father to the hospital - failed to properly care for him.

"They did not give him oxygen - they did not stabilize his neck and they actually wheeled him into emergency, in a wheelchair," she said. "And when they got there, the emergency room had no idea he was coming, because they did not radio ahead."

Sources within Detroit Fire and EMS say Remus should have had a cervical collar and been placed on a stretcher because of his severe injuries. 

And the paramedics - one of whom was Todd Sclafani - should have been suspended, not just given a written reprimand.

"They just literally bypassed the fact that he followed no protocol whatsoever - they let it go - swept it under the rug, and then they gave him a promotion," Taylor said. "It makes no sense at all."

Instead of a suspension - Sclafani was promoted to lieutenant. And this isn't the first complaint against him.

Twice in 2017 alone he was accused of neglect of duty, being rude to a patient - and failing to do a proper assessment.

"I've been told that at least five other black senior citizens have been mistreated under his watch," she said.

And now this.

"He got promoted for not doing his job properly," Taylor said.

Not just promoted, but placed on a special COVID-19 response team working with the public on testing. When FOX 2 contacted the city - even before his promotion - the city told us "the department does not comment on personnel issues."

"Not only did he get a promotion but he's getting more responsibilities and it's just like what he did, was totally okay with his department," Taylor said. "They're okay with that - and it's sad - and it shouldn't be that way."

Taylor is not only upset with Sclafani - she's furious with his superiors as well.

"They were fully made aware of it. They knew, they just let it go," she said.

But Leondra Taylor can't let it go - she says her father - a Vietnam veteran, deserved better.

"When your parent is treated that way - it really hurts," she said.

Efforts to reach Todd Sclafani and his union representative were unsuccessful but have not received a response.