Mon Sep 23 23:22:55 UTC 2024: ## Nashville Family Says Mental Health Crisis Turned into Nightmare After Son Was Tazed, Arrested, and Medicated to Near Death
Nashville resident Kristen Dunlap is speaking out after her son, Darian McKissack, suffered a mental health crisis that spiraled into a nightmarish ordeal involving police, jail, and a near-fatal medication reaction.
McKissack, who had no prior criminal record and was employed full-time, experienced a mental health episode, prompting his girlfriend to call Mobile Crisis for help. The operator, concerned for the girlfriend’s safety, called 911 for a wellness check. When police arrived, they perceived a potentially dangerous domestic situation and reacted to McKissack’s agitated state with a taser, handcuffs, and charges of resisting arrest and assault.
Dunlap, after paying her son’s bond, was told he had been released from jail. But the family was unable to locate McKissack, who had no phone or money, and filed a missing persons report. It was later discovered that McKissack had never been released and had been subjected to a chemical agent in jail for being disruptive.
While he was subsequently transported to Nashville General Hospital on a mental health hold, Dunlap was not informed due to medical privacy laws and was initially denied access to her son. She finally saw him, but only after he had suffered a severe allergic reaction to medication, leading to him being placed on life support.
While McKissack recovered, the incident left the family with over $200,000 in medical bills and a profound lack of trust in the system. Dunlap is calling for changes to address the lack of communication and appropriate support for those experiencing mental health crises.
“It needs to be fixed somehow, someway because it should never have happened,” said Dunlap.
The sheriff’s office acknowledged that they were unable to explain why McKissack was wrongly reported to have been released, and the criminal charges against him were dropped. However, the family is left questioning whether they will ever feel comfortable seeking help again.
First Piper 