Family questions COVID-19 protocols after Kentucky father dies in Hospital

The death of a Kentucky father following a workplace leg injury and subsequent hospitalisation has raised questions from his family over the treatment he received after testing positive for COVID-19.

Andy Hodge, a 38-year-old licensed plumber and father of three, died on March 2, 2021, after a six-month medical ordeal that began with a severe workplace accident.

His sister, Ellie Hodge Hayse, explained that Andy’s care deteriorated after he was transferred to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and placed under COVID-19 protocols. She provided medical records and other documents which, she said, revealed inconsistencies in his treatment and hospital documentation.

Andy initially suffered a crushed ankle and underwent surgery at University of Louisville Hospital. A second operation followed after screws reportedly protruded from his ankle. Despite continuing pain, he was cleared to return to work in January 2021.

On February 10, he went to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center complaining of severe leg pain. According to Ellie, however, doctors focused primarily on respiratory concerns. Andy was subsequently transferred to Owensboro on February 17 for respiratory treatment and a planned bronchoscopy.

Although a nasal swab was negative, a PCR test reportedly returned positive for COVID-19. The hospital subsequently placed Andy on its COVID-19 treatment protocol, including five doses of remdesivir.

Ellie alleges that attention to his injured leg diminished during this period. She also questioned the hospital’s handling of a stroke Andy suffered on February 21.

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Hospital records indicated that he was diagnosed with a stroke at about 1:20 a.m., while treatment began several hours later. Doctors documented that administering tissue plasminogen activator was complicated by his recent use of the blood thinner Lovenox.

Andy was later placed on a ventilator. Ellie said the family was not consulted beforehand and alleged that he resisted ventilation.

His condition subsequently deteriorated. On February 26, doctors declared him brain-dead following testing conducted the previous day. Ellie disputes the determination, pointing to records she says indicated that a paralytic had been administered around the time of the brain-death assessment.

She also recalled instances when Andy’s blood pressure appeared to rise when family members spoke to him, which she interpreted as evidence of consciousness.

The family later discovered other issues in the records, including references to blood clots, substantial weight loss during his hospital stay, repeated ventilator problems and the administration of several sedatives and paralytics.

Ellie also questioned why Andy’s leg problems were not addressed more aggressively and said an outside physician who reviewed the records believed the limb showed signs of inadequate blood flow.

Owensboro did not conduct an autopsy, according to Ellie. Andy was declared dead on March 2.

The family has also raised questions about possible institutional conflicts. Ellie said Owensboro had acquired Twin Lakes shortly before Andy’s transfer and that Sedgwick, which handled a workers’ compensation claim, also served as a third-party administrator for Owensboro.

The allegations have not been independently established, and the account reflects the family’s interpretation of Andy’s medical records and treatment. The family says repeated attempts to secure legal representation were unsuccessful, with attorneys citing, among other issues, protections under the federal PREP Act.

In response to what she describes as the absence of accountability, Ellie helped establish Dead Serious…Kinda Not, an advocacy group for families who believe relatives were harmed by pandemic-era hospital protocols.

The group now assists families in obtaining and reviewing medical records while campaigning for greater scrutiny of hospital practices during public-health emergencies.