DA probes EMTs in mom's death




Two EMTs accused of callously refusing to help a dying, pregnant mom during their coffee break became the target of a criminal probe by the Brooklyn DA's Office yesterday -- as the FDNY moved to fire them.

Prosecutors met to determine whether EMTs Jason Green, 32, and Melisa Jackson, 23 -- who sources said are romantically involved -- had a legal duty to aid Eutisha Rennix, 25.

The criminal investigation began as the Fire Department suspended Green and Jackson without pay for allegedly ignoring the frantic pleas of Rennix's co-workers to help her after she suffered a seizure Dec. 9 at the Au Bon Pain shop in 1 Metrotech Center in Brooklyn. That's the site of FDNY headquarters and where the pair work as dispatchers.
TRAGIC: Eutisha Rennix, here with twin brother Eudane, died after collapsing in a Brooklyn cafe.
TRAGIC: Eutisha Rennix, here with twin brother Eudane, died after collapsing in a Brooklyn cafe.

Rennix, who had a 3-year-old son, died at Long Island College Hospital after being transported there by a paramedic crew. Her premature baby was delivered at the hospital but died two hours later.

Sources said the FDNY wants to boot Green, a six-year veteran, and Jackson, who has four years with the department, over the debacle, a story that The Post broke Sunday.

But two are fighting back, unleashing a union rep to defend them yesterday.

"These are people that are not in the field," EMS union exec Jeff Samerson said. "They have not had patient contact in years."

Still, even Samerson had to concede, "they could have acted better."

Fire Department officials have already referred the case to the state Health Department, which could revoke the EMTs' certification.

The shocking scandal, which has infuriated Mayor Bloomberg, FDNY brass and the public, even led the union chief to call for punishment for the pair if they failed their duty.

"The entire rank-and-file is mortified by these allegations," said Pat Bahnken, president of Emergency Medical Services Union Local 2507.

Bloomberg raged at the two EMTs for a second day, saying, "There's no excuse whatsoever, as far as I can tell."

FDNY investigators have obtained a videotape from the Au Bon Pain on the day of the incident, department sources said.

Employees said they approached Green and Jackson for help for Rennix.

Shop worker Tareen Brown, 29, said the EMTs initially told workers that "if they reacted, they could get in trouble. They said they weren't allowed to touch her unless a call was made to 911 first."

His co-worker, Lourdes Colon, 19, said, "They said they couldn't do anything. They said they were trainees. They showed no sympathy at all."

Brown said that after Jackson and Green did not go to help Rennix, he went outside where there was a group of about 10 FDNY employees, and told them, "Somebody has fallen out. There's an emergency."

"They said, 'What do you want us to do? Call 911.' "

Jackson actually did call 911 from the Au Bon Pain, according to the union's Samerson.

But sources said Jackson told the dispatcher that Rennix had difficulty breathing -- despite the fact that the EMT never physically examined the stricken woman -- and left before the LICH crew arrived. Based on the information Jackson provided, the call was initially not treated as a critical emergency.

No comments: