A 55-year-old Bronx woman died September 27 after being brutally beaten by her hospital roommate while she slept, in what authorities now classify as a homicide that has exposed troubling gaps in hospital security protocols.
Cynthia Vann had been receiving treatment for liver complications at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx when she was attacked around 3 a.m. on September 10. The assault occurred as Vann lay sleeping in her hospital bed, unable to defend herself from the violent attack that would ultimately claim her life.
According to law enforcement sources, 44-year-old Racquel Haughton allegedly punched Vann multiple times in the head while she was asleep. Vann woke up to the repeated blows and had to be intubated in the intensive care unit. She underwent emergency surgery for bleeding on the brain but remained in critical condition until her death 17 days later.
The city medical examiner determined Vann died from blunt force trauma to the head and ruled her death a homicide. Hospital officials had informed Vann’s family that her roommate had a documented history of violent behavior, raising serious questions about patient placement protocols.
Vann’s daughter, Taneisha Vann, expressed devastation over the loss. “It’s heartbreaking. I’m broken inside,” she told reporters, describing her mother as her primary support system. The younger Vann indicated she was supposed to be planning her mother’s 56th birthday celebration on October 9 but is instead arranging funeral services.
The case has revealed a concerning pattern of systemic failures. Hospital police at Lincoln conducted their own investigation and arrested Haughton without initially involving the NYPD. The suspect was then referred to the Bronx District Attorney’s office, but prosecutors declined to pursue charges at that time, apparently because Vann was too ill to be interviewed and no witnesses saw the assault.
A statement from Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark’s office explained that the case was deferred on September 12 for prosecution pending further investigation and evidence. After Vann died and her death was ruled a homicide, prosecutors began investigating the case as a murder. The DA’s office noted that Haughton had two prior cases involving attacks on healthcare workers.
The NYPD was not notified of the assault until September 20, ten days after the attack occurred. This delay has drawn criticism from Vann’s family and their advocates, who question why hospital security did not immediately involve city police in such a serious violent crime.
Law enforcement sources revealed that Haughton’s violent behavior extended beyond the fatal attack on Vann. She allegedly assaulted a nurse at the hospital in July and attacked a patient care associate on September 11, the day after beating Vann. In the September 11 incident, Haughton allegedly slapped the healthcare worker in the face while asking why they had squeezed her hand too hard.
Court records show Haughton was arrested and charged in both incidents but was released without bail for the July assault. When brought to central booking for arraignment in the September 11 attack, she allegedly assaulted a fellow inmate. Despite this pattern of violence, she was released again while prosecutors awaited additional evidence.
Haughton disappeared after her release and remains at large. Police sources confirmed that a warrant has been issued for her arrest, and investigators are actively searching for her.
Taneisha Vann expressed anger at the hospital’s handling of the situation, stating that her mother should have felt safe while receiving medical treatment. She described her mother as a beloved figure in their Sherman Avenue neighborhood, where she had tended a community garden for years. Vann had been admitted September 6 for treatment of a recurring, treatable condition and was expected to recover.
The family met with Lewis Marshall, Lincoln’s chief medical officer, on September 19 seeking answers about the incident. Taneisha Vann said Marshall took down her questions and promised to respond but never did. Hospital spokesperson Natasha Burke provided only a brief statement affirming the hospital’s commitment to safety but declined to answer specific questions about the case or explain why a patient with a violent history was placed in a shared room.
Reverend Kevin McCall, who is advising the family, has called for a full investigation by the district attorney’s office. The case has highlighted concerns about patient safety protocols and the adequacy of security measures at public hospitals, particularly regarding the placement of patients with documented histories of violence.