A Bronx woman has died after being brutally beaten by her hospital roommate, raising urgent questions about patient safety and hospital oversight.
The victim, Cynthia Vann, 55, was admitted to Lincoln Hospital earlier in September for liver-related treatment. On the night of September 10, she was attacked in her sleep by another patient who, according to her family, had a history of violence.
Vann suffered severe head trauma and underwent emergency surgery. She remained hospitalized for more than two weeks but died on September 27, just days before her 56th birthday. The city’s medical examiner has ruled her death a homicide.
Her daughter, Taneisha Vann, told News 12 Bronx that she was devastated by the loss. “It’s heartbreaking … she didn’t deserve that,” she said, adding that the hospital had acknowledged her mother’s roommate had a violent past.
Law enforcement officials have not released the identity of the suspected attacker, who has not yet been charged. Authorities continue to investigate the case and are working to determine how a patient deemed potentially dangerous was placed in a shared room.
Lincoln Hospital has not publicly commented on the incident.
The case has sparked broader concerns about hospital protocols, particularly when it comes to screening and assigning patients with behavioral risks. Advocates argue the tragedy underscores the need for stricter safety measures to protect vulnerable patients.
For Vann’s family, the focus now is on justice — and on demanding answers about how a place meant to provide care became the setting for her violent death.
