Casey Kasem could have been killed when wife seized him from hospital bed and disconnected feeding tube, care home workers claim

  • Doctor caring for star says Jean Kasem was warned moving him was risky
  • Daughter Kerri Kasem wants police to investigate claims of elder abuse
  • 82-year-old Top 40 host has been removed from life support

By Daily Mail Reporter

Casey Kasem's wife ignored medical advice and disconnected her husband's feeding tube when she removed him from a California nursing home, staff have claimed.

The allegations are made in a statement Kasem's doctor made after Jean Kasem took her 82-year-old husband from the care home at 2.30am last month.

He highlighted in the letter that the feeding tube was the only way the American Top 40 host could be fed or hydrated, and claimed Ms Kasem was warned of the risks.

Health concerns: Hospital staff caring for Casey Kasem claim they warned his wife of the dangers of moving him

Health concerns: Hospital staff caring for Casey Kasem claim they warned his wife of the dangers of moving him

Nursing staff at the home also gave statements claiming they had refused to agree to releasing their patient, and alleged that Ms Kasem left without signing a form showing she was removing him 'against medical advice'.

The details were revealed in the Daily News in documents handed to elder abuse investigators at Santa Monica Police.

According to Dr Paul Leitner, who cared for Kasem before he was removed from the facility, Ms Kasem 'disconnected his G-tube, which provided his only source to nutrition and hydration'.

 

The doctor added: 'She was informed of the risks of doing so and was told she was placing Mr  Kasem in great bodily harm or possible demise.'

Registered nurse Jennifer Kusiappiah also made a statement claiming Kasem's wife removed him 'even though I have clearly explained that it was dangerous and could be fatal'.

She added that Ms Kasem was concerned about the radio host's privacy after he was visited by his two daughters. 

Daughter Kerri Kasem
Jean Kasem

Dispute: Kasem's care has been the center of a fight between his daughter, Kerri, left, and wife, Jean, right

Critical condition: Radio host Kasem, center, has developed sepsis from an infected bedsore

Critical condition: Radio host Kasem, center, has developed sepsis from an infected bedsore

Private investigator Logan Clarke claimed that Ms Kasem should be charged with elder abuse, and told the Daily News she had allegedly removed hospital equipment used to keep her husband alive.

After a protracted family battle between Kasem's wife and his adult children from a previous marriage, the radio host was removed from life support machines on Wednesday.

His daughters had been frantically searching for him since Ms Kasem removed him from the care home. He was later found in a Seattle property belonging to friends of his wife.

At this point, Kasem had developed sepsis from infected bedsores, and was taken to a Washington hospital, where doctors and a lawyer for his daughter, Kerri, say he is dying.

After Kerri Kasem was given a court order that allowed her to return her father to hospital, he was taken off life support. As well as the sepsis infection, he has dementia and Parkinson's.

A judge ruled Wednesday that Kasem's doctors should stop force-feeding the dying broadcast legend and allow him to slip away - despite the legal and emotional objections of his wife, who declared 'You have blood on your hands!'

Kerri Kasem has filed a police report alleging that her step-mother's decision to remove Casey from the nursing home last month were criminal, TMZ.com reported.

Update: In a Facebook post Kerri Kasem announced that her father had been removed from life support

Update: In a Facebook post Kerri Kasem announced that her father had been removed from life support

TMZ reported that Kerri Kasem claimed to have medical documents that showed the bed sore would likely contribute to Kasem's death.

She posted on her Facebook page that her father was dying in hospital.

'Transitioning our father’s treatment to comfort-oriented care was one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever had to make,' she wrote.

'For the last 11 days, our father has been surrounded day and night by love and care by his daughters Kerri and Julie, his son Mike, his brother Mouner and sister-in-law Mary, and his dear friend Gonzalo Venecia,' she added.






The comments below have been moderated in advance.

My uncle had a G-tube. It wouldn't have been necessary to remove it in order to move him. And wasn't it reported that the wife was feeding him Ensure through the feeding tibe/

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His daughter won a court order yesterday to take him off his life support, so that he can die. His wife was vehemently opposed to this and told judge that he had blood on his hands. And now this very same daughter accuses Jean of takong him off a feeding tube? What hypocricy. - AussieJohn, Sydney, 6/13/14, 11:43 AM The difference is he was not septic at that point. Once you go septic your organs shut down, your body won't process food or water no matter what form it is given in. Your kidneys don't work and you literally drown in your own waste. If Jean would have left him be in a facility where he was getting proper treatment he wouldn't have infected bed sores and be in this condition.

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This WILL READING is going to incredibly interesting lol

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It doesn't matter what Jean wants or what Kerri wants, it's what he wants and that's spelled out plainly in his health directive. That's a legal document he signed and it must be followed no matter what others motives are.

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This poor man has been stripped of any possible dignity in the final months of his life, shame on those responsible, may you receive the same sort of care when your time comes, disgusting.

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His daughter won a court order yesterday to take him off his life support, so that he can die. His wife was vehemently opposed to this and told judge that he had blood on his hands. And now this very same daughter accuses Jean of takong him off a feeding tube? What hypocricy.

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The wife took him off the feeding tube when he was stable and able to take nutrition and hydration. The judge approved removing the feeding tube this past week because due to his deterioration AFTER his wife's little escapade, his body was rejecting it and the feeding/hydration solutions were causing him pain.

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They tried placing him back on feeding tubes, but the doctor told the judge that Mr. Kasem was drowning when he was receiving the fluids (per a reputable website). The judge then reversed the decision and had the feeding tubes removed. I don't see the hypocrisy.

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Having had 2 grandparents that have died with Alzheimer's (one had a feeding tube for years). I would hate to live my last months/years the way they did. If he is as far gone as this report states, then his kids should say their good buys and be with him as he parts this world. I may change my mind when it's my own parents in this situation, but when removed just a bit, it is so unkind to keep a soul from their next adventure. Let him go as nature plans.

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Amen, brother.

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My mom had Alzheimer's. Back in January, she had to go to the hospital from the nursing home because she was in renal failure. My brother and I started her on fluids and antibiotics, but we requested no heroic measures. It seemed cruel to fight to bring her back only to be taken years later by Alzheimer's. She died peacefully that night. I don't have one second of regret. We absolutely did the right thing for her. It wasn't about us.

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There is a certain irony in his wife being accused of putting him in mortal danger by disconnecting him from his feeding tube which was the only way to feed and hydrate him only to be returned to a nursing home where his daughter made the decision the decision to stop food and hydration because it was keeping him alive.

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When the body starts the dying process as his had, forced hydration and ffeding makes things worse. The body knows what it is doing as it starts shutting down. The doctors told the judge his body was already dying and nothing was going to prevent that. I went through this with my father-in-law and they are doing the right thing.

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This decision was made after the wife took him away and he was without care for several days. This might not have been an issue if he had the proper care.

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As soon as you heard his voice you knew who it was. If there is such a thing as an iconic voice, his was an iconic voice. Spanning many generations of listeners. Another person I grew up listening to or watching passes. The circle of life. RIP Casey.

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He is NOT dead yet!!!

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It's scary to see someone who is so rich and famous, as well as loved by millions, end up this way. Praying that his last days are filled with love and he's as comfortable as possible. Hopefully he has no idea of all this ridiculousness going on between his wife and children.

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