Ada Chapman Doss, a 27-year-old registered nurse, was shot and killed in the parking lot of DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while speaking on the phone with her husband, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by her estate.
Background
Doss had just completed her shift at the hospital on May 12 and was walking to her vehicle in the south parking lot. As customary, she called her husband, Andrew Doss, to discuss their day, dinner plans, and evening routines for their two young daughters—ages 6 months and 2 years.
Unbeknownst to Doss, a 41-year-old patient named Matthew Taylor had been brought to the hospital's emergency room earlier that same day by someone complaining of a manic episode. The lawsuit alleges that hospital staff and security were warned about Taylor's erratic and manic behavior but failed to assess the security threat or locate him.
According to the complaint, Taylor was allowed to roam freely around the medical center campus for hours, unmonitored, despite being described as shirtless, shoeless, and armed. It remains unclear where he obtained the alleged weapon.
The Investigation
Doss' estate claims in the lawsuit that both Taylor and the DCH Health Care Authority were negligent in failing to protect hospital staff from a known security threat. The civil complaint alleges wrongful death and seeks compensatory and punitive damages along with a jury trial.
"That afternoon, as she was walking to her vehicle located in the DCH South parking lot, and speaking to her husband by phone, Ada Doss' voice filled with fear and panic as Taylor approached her armed with a gun," the complaint states.
Taylor was later arrested and indicted on charges of capital murder, first-degree robbery, and illegal possession of a firearm, according to reporting by NBC affiliate WVTM. He is currently awaiting prosecution on those criminal charges.
"Tragically, Ada's husband, Andrew Doss, was forced to endure hearing his wife's last words of, 'please don't, I have babies,' seconds before Taylor shot and killed Ada," the lawsuit alleges.
Key Takeaways
- Ada Chapman Doss, 27, was a registered nurse at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Suspect Matthew Taylor, 41, had been brought to the ER earlier that day for evaluation of an alleged manic episode
- Hospital staff allegedly received warnings about Taylor's erratic behavior but failed to secure him
- Doss was shot and killed while on the phone with her husband in the hospital's south parking lot
- Her final words to Andrew were reportedly 'please don't, I have babies'
- Taylor faces capital murder, first-degree robbery, and illegal firearm possession charges
- The civil lawsuit names both Taylor and DCH Health Care Authority as defendants
What's Next
Taylor remains in custody awaiting trial on his criminal charges. The civil wrongful death case filed by Doss' estate is pending. A trial date for the criminal proceedings has not yet been set, according to court records.
The lawsuit is expected to proceed through discovery, where attorneys for Doss' estate will likely seek internal hospital security protocols and communications surrounding Taylor's admission and alleged escape from monitoring.