PHOTOS: Family of Arizona Man Kyle Slade Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Alleged Medication Error at Gilbert Mental Health Facility

The family of Kyle Slade, a 40-year-old father of four from the Valley, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Gilbert behavioral health center, alleging that a fatal medication error led to his death just days after seeking help for depression.

According to the lawsuit filed against Copper Springs East, Slade checked himself into the mental health facility on September 25 to receive treatment for depression. Three days later, he was dead — allegedly after being given the wrong dosage of methadone.

Lawsuit Alleges Fatal Overdose Was ‘Preventable’

Court documents claim that a temporary nurse mistakenly administered 90 milligrams of methadone — a powerful opioid typically used to treat addiction — instead of a much smaller amount.

“The nurse unfortunately dosed him with 90 milligrams of methadone, and he’s completely opiate-naive, and it took his life,” said Morgan Slade, Kyle’s wife, in an interview with FOX10.

Morgan shared that her husband voluntarily sought help for his mental health struggles to become a better husband and father.

“He wanted to take care of himself so that he could be there for the kids and me. Instead, he never came home,” she said. “Now we don’t have a dad, a husband, or our best friend.”

Alleged Delay in Response and Cover-Up

The lawsuit further alleges that the nurse realized the mistake but that staff failed to take immediate action to save Slade’s life. Instead, he was reportedly sent back to his room and left alone for nearly three hours before being found unresponsive.

According to attorney Richard Lyons, who represents the Slade family, several failures led to the tragedy:

“If the methadone isn’t given, Kyle’s alive. If he’s sent to the emergency room, Kyle’s alive. If Narcan is given, Kyle’s alive,” Lyons said. “His kids should still have their dad.”

The lawsuit also claims that the nurse misled an on-call physician, falsely stating that Slade had received only 9 milligrams of methadone instead of the full 90.

Facility Accused of Hiring Unqualified Temporary Nurse

The family’s attorney alleges that Copper Springs East hired unqualified temporary staff to fill weekend shifts, prioritizing convenience over patient safety. The nurse involved was reportedly a contract worker with no psychiatric training.

Heartbroken Family Honors Kyle’s Legacy

Slade, an organ donor, was honored by his family in a moving “honor walk” before his organs were donated to help others.

“It was very special — almost reverent — as we walked him down the hall,” said his mother, Christy Zundal. “It was so difficult.”

Facility and Staffing Agency Respond

LifePoint Health, which operates Copper Springs East, released a statement saying:

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of this patient and will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation. Our most important priority is ensuring that our patients receive excellent, safe care, and we take any allegation that this commitment has been violated extremely seriously.”

NurseIO, the staffing agency that provided the temporary nurse, also expressed condolences:

“NurseIO is deeply saddened by the tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the patient’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. While we verify credentials and licenses for all professionals on our platform, facilities are responsible for orientation, supervision, and ensuring compliance with their internal policies.”

Ongoing Investigation

The wrongful death lawsuit seeks accountability for what the family describes as a preventable tragedy, one that turned a father’s cry for help into heartbreak. The case remains under investigation.