Kyle Slade lawsuit. Arizona man who checked into Gilbert mental health facility for depression dies after nurse gives wrong medication.

 

The family of a Valley, Arizona man is suing a Gilbert mental health facility following his death, alleging that he was given the wrong medication while being treated for depression.

Kyle Slade, 40, a father of four, checked himself into Copper Springs East in Gilbert on September 25 seeking help for his mental health. According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed this week, Slade died just three days later after a nurse allegedly administered 90 milligrams of methadone, despite him being opiate-naïve.

“The nurse unfortunately dosed him with 90 milligrams of methadone, and he’s completely opiate naïve, and it took his life,” his wife, Morgan Slade, told FOX10.

Morgan said her husband entered the facility to get better for his children and family — but never returned home.

“He wanted to take care of himself so that he could be there for the kids and I. And instead, he doesn’t come out,” she said. “Now we don’t have a dad, we don’t have a husband, and we don’t have our best friend.”

The complaint alleges that the nurse realized the dosage error but did not act swiftly. According to the lawsuit, Slade was sent back to his room and left there for three hours before staff found him unresponsive and called 911.

The filing further claims the nurse initially reported to an on-call doctor that only 9 milligrams, rather than 90, had been given.

Attorney Richard Lyons, who represents the family, said several critical failures could have prevented the death:

“If the methadone is not given, Kyle’s alive. If he’s sent to the emergency department, Kyle’s alive. If Narcan is given, Kyle’s alive.”

Lyons also stated the nurse was a temporary staff member without psychiatric medication training and alleged that the facility relied on inexperienced temp workers to cover weekend shifts.

Copper Springs East is operated by LifePoint Health, which released a statement saying the organization is “deeply saddened by the loss of this patient” and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

NurseIO, the staffing agency that provided the nurse, issued a separate statement emphasizing that while it verifies licenses and credentials, “each contracting facility is responsible for onboarding, orientation, training, supervision, and ensuring compliance with its internal policies and procedures.”

Slade was an organ donor. His family participated in an honor walk before the donation procedure.

“It was very special — almost reverent — but incredibly difficult,” his mother, Christy Zundal, said.

The lawsuit is ongoing.