‘NO ONE CAME’
Terrified mum’s screams not heard by hospital security
A WOMAN who was allegedly violently attacked in a hospital carpark has blasted the facility’s security for not coming to her aid.
Fiona Murakami was walking back to her car in the dark about 4am on Sunday from the Townsville University Hospital emergency department when a man allegedly set upon her.
A WOMAN who was allegedly violently attacked in a hospital carpark has blasted the facility’s security for not coming to her aid.
Fiona Murakami was walking back to her car about 4am on Sunday from the Townsville University Hospital emergency department when a Mornington man allegedly set upon her and tried to rob her, before she was able to escape.
The man then went into the hospital and allegedly attempted to rape a nurse who was working a night shift.
Ms Murakami said she was only thinking about her sick son before the incident in the hospital carpark following a visit to the ED.
“I’d taken him to the emergency department about 7.30pm, he was really sick, but they couldn’t get a bed. I sat with him until about 3.30am,” Ms Murakami said.
“The nursing manager said that he was really sick and that he wasn’t going anywhere. She told me to go home and get an hour or two of sleep before he wakes up.
“I said I just wanted to stay with him, but she said he won’t know you were gone, go home and get some rest.”
Ms Murakami walked out of the ED, across the hospital grounds and into the carpark without seeing anyone but was attacked after entering her car.
“I just started screaming and screaming and screaming. No one came, no one was around.”
Ms Murakami drove home in a daze and stayed d awake until light broke before returning to the hospital to be with her son.
“The same nurse that had d told me to go home, she said that someone else had been attacked inside the hospital just after,” she said.
“I was an absolute mess, I was just so worried about t my son. He’s still sick.”
Ms Murakami said the incident had left her shaken and feeling vulnerable.
“I’m just really angry; if f security had bothered d coming and dealt with it t then and there, there was only 20 minutes between (the incidents).”
Townsville University Hospital chief executive Kieran Keyes told the Bulletin in a statement that the hospital was reviewing the incident and had reached out to Ms Murakami on Wednesday.
Ms Murakami had previously been attacked in a carjacking four years ago and while she fought back then, a work injury left her unable to respond this time.
“Nearly four years to the day, I was carjacked. I fought, I punched him and I felt in control. I’ve had major damage to my right hand, two operations after a work accident. It’s useless,” she said.
“It’s been a real struggle. I know that I can’t fight back and I felt very vulnerable.”
Ms Murakami said in addition to her screaming going unheard and seeing no security present as she left the hospital, she was informed by police that the attack had been visible on security camera footage.
“The police told me that the footage clearly showed (a man) running towards me as soon as I was getting into the car. They told me it was 20 minutes,” she said. “I was screaming for a long time and very loudly and no one came.
“I walked from ED all the way to admissions, all the way to the carpark and I didn’t see any security. Due to their oneparent policy I had to go by myself. I understand that it’s a Covid policy, but women are taking their kids to hospital and they’re vulnerable. They need to step up security.”
Ms Murakami said the lack of communication from the hospital was concerning, and that while she was glad the organisation was doing what it could for the nurse who had allegedly been attacked, she was unsatisfied with the overall response.
“It’s not a safe space; if people go there and think they’re safe because there’s some lights in the carpark, they’re wrong,” she said.
Mr Keyes said on Wednesday the hospital had provided “a range” of support options to Ms Murakami when she’d brought the incident to the hospital’s attention.
“We are deeply concerned by the incidents that occurred at Townsville University Hospital at the weekend,” he said.
“We do not tolerate violent or offensive behaviour and value the safety of our employees and patients.
“During a standard night shift, TUH has five security staff rostered on to monitor various locations across the campus.
“Two staff are stationed in the emergency department
while two remain in the security office to respond to incidents the team are alerted to.”
Mr Keyes said a shift supervisor was stationed in the control room where up to 600 CCTV cameras were monitored.
“At this time of the day, the officer in the control room would focus on primary areas including the emergency department, mental health inpatient units, high-traffic areas around the main hospital building as well as the ambulance bay area,” he said.
A 35-year-old Mornington man has been charged with enter premise with intent to commit indictable offence, assault with intent to rape, and attempted robbery.
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